Revealing data shows junk foods dominate apps

Are quick apps guilty or just meeting demand?

What is the red ID system and how it works?

Do parents support red identifiers for teens?

What’s slowing down FOP labels despite need?

Research shows rising health risks

Platforms as corner stores with zero nutrition

Can platforms add warnings without regulation?

Conclusion

Credits

India’s quick-commerce boom is masking a growing public-health crisis. A new analysis reveals that half of all packaged foods sold on these platforms are junk, HFSS or ultra-processed, with some apps listing unhealthy items at rates as high as 62 percent. What looks like convenience is reshaping consumer behaviour, especially among Gen Z, where late-night impulsive ordering has become routine and, in many households, a daily habit. At the same time, medical research links ultra-processed foods to a wide range of diseases including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular problems, kidney disorders and even depression raising alarms about long-term dietary patterns. In this episode host Anirban Chowdhury talks to Sachin Taparia founder of Local Circles and public health and nutrition expert Dr. Arun Gupta, convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi). Despite this, India still lacks strong front-of-pack warning labels, stalled for years by industry pushback and regulatory delays. With digital storefronts acting as unregulated corner stores and offering almost no nutritional guardrails, this episode examines how an everyday swipe has quietly turned into a nationwide dietary risk and what it will take to reverse the trend.

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: X and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like ET in the Valley:  Grant Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Gamma, ET in the Valley: Databricks Co-founder Patrick Wendell, ET in the Valley: Replit Founder and CEO Amjad Masad, ET in the Valley: ElevenLabs Co-Founder Mati Staniszewski and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

India&rsquo;s quick-commerce boom is masking a growing public-health crisis. A new analysis reveals that half of all packaged foods sold on these platforms are junk, HFSS or ultra-processed, with some apps listing unhealthy items at rates as high as 62 percent. What looks like convenience is reshaping consumer behaviour, especially among Gen Z, where late-night impulsive ordering has become routine and, in many households, a daily habit. At the same time, medical research links ultra-processed foods to a wide range of diseases including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular problems, kidney disorders and even depression raising alarms about long-term dietary patterns. In this episode host Anirban Chowdhury talks to Sachin Taparia founder of Local Circles and public health and nutrition expert Dr. Arun Gupta, convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi). Despite this, India still lacks strong front-of-pack warning labels, stalled for years by industry pushback and regulatory delays. With digital storefronts acting as unregulated corner stores and offering almost no nutritional guardrails, this episode examines how an everyday swipe has quietly turned into a nationwide dietary risk and what it will take to reverse the trend.
Tune in. You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: <a href="https://twitter.com/AnirbanET">X</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirban-chowdhury-b5067219/">Linkedin </a>Check out other interesting episodes from the host like <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738448473">ET in the Valley:&nbsp; Grant Lee, Co-Founder &amp; CEO of Gamma</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000737335976">ET in the Valley: Databricks Co-founder Patrick Wendell</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000736346116">ET in the Valley: Replit Founder and CEO Amjad Masad</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000735309153">ET in the Valley: ElevenLabs Co-Founder Mati Staniszewski</a> and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">much more</a>.
Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr">The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_">JioSaavn</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief">Amazon Music</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts">Youtube</a>.

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The Morning Brief

How Quick Commerce is Triggering a Health Crisis for Gen Z