Quick commerce firms slow down expansion amid rising rents
After a year of opening stores at breakneck speed, quick commerce brands like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto are now slowing down.
Rising rents and high operating costs are making it tough to keep expanding, especially in big cities where space isn't cheap.
Blinkit speeds up while Instamart and Zepto hit brakes
Blinkit is pushing ahead with plans to nearly double its dark stores, thanks to major financial backing.
Meanwhile, Instamart and Zepto have tapped the brakes—Instamart added just 42 new stores last quarter, and Zepto has paused expansion while prepping for its IPO.
Making existing stores work better
Flipkart's quick commerce arm is focusing on making existing stores work better instead of just adding more locations.
Even with strong demand for fast delivery, many dark stores aren't breaking even yet because city rents are so high.
Firms are now choosing steady growth and profitability over rapid expansion—especially as India's quick commerce market is expected to jump from $8.2 billion in 2024-25 to $30 billion by 2027-28.