NEW DELHI: The government-backed Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, which is being beta tested in Bengaluru, would address the issue of data masking by food delivery portals like Zomato and Swiggy, sources in the ministry of corporate affairs told TNIE.
"The restaurants, which get food delivery orders through ONDC, could access the data of end consumers, unlike Zomato and Swiggy, who mask the data from restaurants," told an official from the ministry.
He added that ONDC could pose a challenge to the food delivery portals like Zomato and Swiggy in the long-run.
The ONDC, which has gone live in 16 pin codes across Bengaluru under in the beta testing phase, is currently allowing consumers to place their orders in two domains -- groceries and restaurants- through buyers’ apps.
Data masking is one of the long-held grudges of restaurant owners against food delivery platforms. An association of restaurants has also moved the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against what they call anit-competitive conduct of the food delivery platforms.
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which has moved the CCI against Zomato and Swiggy, has among other things alleged that the food delivery platforms engage in the practice of data masking, where the restaurants receive no data or information about the end consumers to whom the food is delivered. It has also alleged that payments are being deducted for poor customer satisfaction without the restaurant even knowing the reasons for the same.
The restaurant body has also said that the commissions charged by Zomato and Swiggy from restaurants to the tune of 20% to 30%, which are extremely exorbitant and unviable. An official from the commerce ministry said that commissions paid on the ONDC platform would be 8-10% only.The CCI in April this year ordered an investigation into these allegations.
ONDC allows to place orders in 2 domains
The ONDC, which has gone live in 16 pin codes across Bengaluru under in the beta testing phase, is currently allowing consumers to place their orders in two domains -- groceries and restaurants- through buyers’ apps. Data masking is one of the long-held grudges of restaurant owners against food delivery
platforms