Zomato`s `Pure Veg` Service Controversy
| Case Code: MKTG469 Case Length: 6 Pages Period: 2011 to 2024 Pub Date: 2024 Teaching Note: Available |
Price: Rs.200 Organization : Zomato Ltd. Industry :Food & Beverage Countries : India Themes: Ethics in Marketing Social Media |
Abstract Case Intro 1 Case Intro 2 Excerpts
Excerpts
Planned ‘Pure Veg’ Service
Goyal planned the ‘pure veg’ service based on a survey done by Zomato. The market research was done on 1,600 respondents aged above 50 years. Among the survey respondents, 72 percent opted for veg-only delivery and stated that they preferred vegetarian food from veg-only restaurants. Goyal said, “We did a large survey of people who are more than 50 years old. An overwhelming majority said they needed a veg-only option and preferred veg-only restaurants. It was a large customer segment… So, we launched it.”..
Contentions
Social media users and food bloggers, however, opined that Zomato’s ‘pure veg’ service promoted casteist notions and was discriminatory. Analysts were of the view that in India, vegetarianism was largely associated with caste based distinctions unlike in foreign countries and had casteist connotations of so-called purity. Anaan Farooq, a blogger from Bengaluru, said, “I think the dietary preferences are okay but having separate bags and separate drivers for just pure veg restaurants reinforces the purity culture that comes with the caste system and I think in 2024, that’s just embarrassing.”..
What’s cooking?
Following the backlash on social media against Zomato’s ‘pure veg’ service, Goyal and his top management discussed the matter over a Zoom call that lasted for 20 hours and finally decided to make changes in the service..
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