Zomato, a popular food delivery service in India, recently faced criticism and backlash after announcing its new initiative to appeal to vegetarian users. The company stated that it would launch a list of restaurants serving exclusively pure vegetarian food, excluding any establishments offering non-vegetarian options.
Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal shed light on this strategy, acknowledging that a significant portion of India’s population is strictly vegetarian, deeply concerned about how their food is prepared and handled. Thus, to accommodate these dietary requirements, the company planned to introduce a separate delivery team specifically for these orders. These ‘pure veg’ fleet members would don a different colored uniform to distinguish them from their counterparts.
However, the proposal was met with substantial backlash on social media. Critics labeled the move as casteist since vegetarianism typically prevails among dominant Hindu castes, while marginalized castes are likely to consume non-vegetarian food. India’s caste system might be officially obsolete but remains influential in several aspects of society.
Others pointed out that the initiative could potentially put delivery staff and meat-eaters at risk. Users suggested that it would intensify existing divisions between vegetarians and non-vegetarians and could lead to targeted oppression based on one’s dietary choices.
In response to this backlash, Zomato hastily retracted its decision to provide separate uniforms for vegetarian food deliveries. Goyal asserted that all delivery partners would wear the same uniform to avoid any possible misconceptions and ensure their safety in all circumstances. He admitted to overlooking the potential troubles that customers might face due to this initiative, such as conflicts with landlords.
Source: Why marketing to ‘pure vegetarians’ landed this Indian delivery giant in a pickle
