Zomato called out for introducing ‘pure veg’ mode; CEO Deepinder Goyal rolls back green fleet after backlash
Zomato faces backlash for promoting ‘casteist’ values.
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Earlier this week, Zomato had come up with a new kind of service, catering only to the pure vegetarian customers. Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal announced the launch of the "Pure Veg mode" delivery service on Tuesday, keeping in mind the dietary preferences of its pure vegetarian customers.
“The 'pure veg' mode can be seen as an embodiment of casteist values, where vegetarianism is often associated with purity, self-control, and higher moral standing. This dietary preference, rooted in religious and cultural practices, has historically been used as a mechanism to maintain caste distinctions, with upper castes asserting their superiority and 'purity' through their vegetarian diet. The designation of 'pure' vegetarian subtly carries the implication that anything outside this category is 'impure,' perpetuating a harmful dichotomy that mirrors and reinforces caste-based notions of purity and pollution,” said Akshay CM, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultant in a LinkedIn post.
He further said that this segregation goes beyond personal choice or business acumen; it taps into the age-old casteist belief that vegetarian food must be protected from contamination by non-vegetarian food, which is often associated with lower caste practices. Zomato goes further in its segregation by establishing a 'pure veg fleet', identifiable by green shirts, designated exclusively for deliveries from 'pure' vegetarian restaurants. Akshay pointed out that it's likely that Zomato's move will reinforce stigma and marginalization faced by minorities in the country. “Will Zomato's policy preferentially employ individuals who adhere to vegetarian diets for its 'pure veg' fleet ? Can a Dalit or a Muslim worker gain entry to this fleet ?This scenario would not only affect the economic opportunities for those who are non-vegetarian, often belonging to lower-caste groups, but also reinforce the stigma and marginalization they face.”
“Deepinder Goyal, with your policy, you risk emboldening right-wing housing societies to ban Zomato delivery personnel in red shirts. How will you protect them from potential attacks, especially in these charged communal times? Are you prepared to take responsibility for their occupational segregation and the dangers they may face? By pandering to and institutionalizing the caste-based preferences of a segment of the population, Zomato is complicit in perpetuating the very structures of caste that many are striving to dismantle,”read an excerpt from the same LinkedIn post.
Deepinder Goyal, founder, Zomato took to his social media account to share views on the issue. “While we are going to continue to have a fleet for vegetarians, we have decided to remove the on-ground segregation of this fleet on the ground using the colour green. All our riders — both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will wear the colour red. This means that the fleet meant for vegetarian orders will not be identifiable on the ground (but will show on the app that your veg orders will be served by the veg only fleet). This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by any RWAs or societies during any special days… our riders’ physical safety is of paramount importance to us,” he said.
“Zomato realises that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice thing if that happened because of us. Thanks everyone for talking about this last night. You made us understand the unintended consequences of this rollout. All the love, and all the brickbats were all so useful - and helped us get to this optimal point. We are always listening, without unnecessary ego, or pride. We look forward to continue serving you,” added Goyal.
Last year, Zomato faced backlash after releasing a promotional advertisement ‘Kachra can change the game’ on occasion of the World Environment Day. Kachra translates into waste and/or trash in Hindi. Zomato was attempting to show what the brand has been doing to challenge climate change. But it ended up facing tremendous backlash across social media for appropriating casteism. This called into question if brands can go to any extent to greenwash.
