The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) is pushing for full access to a recent investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the business practices of online food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy.

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The NRAI argues that the platforms’ “exclusivity” agreements—where restaurants are required to list exclusively on one platform—are detrimental to fair competition.

In a statement, the NRAI explained that it had filed a complaint with the CCI in September 2021 regarding these anti-competitive practices. Since then, the NRAI has been actively collaborating with the CCI's investigation team, providing updates and inputs throughout the process.

In March 2024, the NRAI received a partially redacted version of the CCI's investigation report. However, in November 2024, the association requested the High Court to grant them access to the full, unredacted report, citing the need to safeguard the interests of the restaurant industry.

“We’ve been raising concerns about unfair practices by food delivery apps for years,” said Sagar Daryani, President of NRAI. “We’re pleased that the CCI seems to agree with our concerns, and we hope they will now speed up the investigation into other issues we raised in 2021.”

While the NRAI has not commented on the specifics of the investigation's findings, as the report remains confidential, Daryani emphasised the importance of creating a fair marketplace for all stakeholders in the industry.

“We understand that online food delivery is an important part of the sector's growth,” Daryani added. “But it's crucial that platforms like Zomato and Swiggy maintain a level playing field to support the growth of all businesses, including restaurants.”

The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for the future of online food delivery platforms and the restaurants that depend on them.