Swiggy launches ‘Swiggy Seal’ in 650 cities — what does this mean for customers?

Online food aggregator and delivery platform Swiggy has launched a new initiative called ‘Swiggy Seal’ for customers in 650 Indian cities, as per a PTI report. The aim is to raise food quality standards and hygiene practices among the company's restaurant partners, it added.

The initiative began in Pune and will be gradually scaled to other cities in November, according to the report.

“Since the programme's launch two weeks ago, restaurant partners have shown high interest, with hundreds of requests for hygiene audits already received. Should any concerns arise about a restaurant holding the Seal, Swiggy will thoroughly review the feedback and may revoke the badge if the restaurant fails to maintain the established standards,” Swiggy said in a release.

So, what does this mean for customers and what can you look forward to?

The ‘Swiggy Seal’ Badge

Restaurant menu pages on the Swiggy app will be given a ‘Swiggy Seal' to highlight those partners with a “proven track record of serving hygienic, high-quality meals in quality packaging”.

The company also said it will leverage its 7 million verified customers base to gather reviews of a restaurant over the past six months for insight.

“The Swiggy Seal program aims to elevate restaurant hygiene practices. It offers restaurant partners comprehensive insights and actionable support to ensure the delivery of hygienic, well-cooked food in high-quality packaging,” Swiggy added.

Insights to Improve Practices

Swiggy said it will share detailed reviews and feedback from verified customers with their restaurant partners that they can use to improve practices and service.

The focus will be on “key areas” such as optimal cooking, contamination prevention, and packaging quality. “The insights will enable restaurants to identify areas of improvement and implement effective hygiene practices”, it added.

Besides customer reviews, Swiggy also plans to work with agencies such as Equinox and Eurofins, which are accredited with the Food Safety Standards and Authority of India (FSSAI), to better offer their restaurant partners access to professional hygiene audits at exclusive rates.

(With inputs from PTI)