On Wednesday, Swiggy issued a clarification following the viral circulation of a sarcastic post attributed to the food delivery company on social media.
Swiggy stated that the ‘fake ad’ was not created by the company or any of its affiliates, and urged people to refrain from sharing it.
The poster in question appeared to mock Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s announcement of a specialized fleet catering exclusively to orders from ‘pure veg’ restaurants. The poster, featuring Swiggy’s logo and name, portrayed a scene where people were rioting in the background while a landlord evicted a tenant.
The poster contained text, “Eviction-safe food delivery. In Indian neighbourhoods, your dietary preferences are best kept private. Our delivery fleet doesn’t leak your private habits to the world. You also save some money as we don’t have to pay for the life insurance of our delivery staff against possible mob lynchings.”
In response to the viral advertisement, Swiggy stated, “We encountered a counterfeit ad this morning related to a recent controversy. To state the obvious, this is NOT an advertisement from Swiggy.”
On Tuesday, Zomato unveiled plans to accommodate customers who abstain from dining at restaurants that serve meat, even if vegetarian options are available.
The food delivery company introduced a distinct and entirely meat-free service, easily recognizable by its delivery riders donning green uniforms instead of Zomato’s typical red corporate attire.
However, the company revised its plans a day later following an online backlash, with Goyal acknowledging that the company had neglected to thoroughly consider the safety implications.