A customer ordering groceries through Instamart, the on‑demand grocery arm of Swiggy, was taken aback when the app listed a 1 kg pack of onions for a mere Rs 1. The unusually low price appeared alongside the rest of the order, prompting the buyer to contact the delivery executive at the door to confirm whether the onion bag had been added by mistake. The delivery person assured the customer that the item was indeed part of the order as shown on the app, and the shopper proceeded to accept the parcel.
The incident quickly made rounds on social media, with users sharing screenshots of the order summary and expressing disbelief at the price discrepancy. While Instamart’s official channels did not immediately comment, similar pricing anomalies have surfaced in the past across various e‑commerce platforms, often attributed to system errors, promotional trials, or inventory clearance strategies. In this case, the onion’s Rs 1 tag stood out because it far undercut the market rate, which typically hovers around Rs 30‑40 per kilogram in most Indian cities.
ALSO READ | Food Bank for NYC Urges Congress to Halt SNAP Cost Shift and Fully Fund Emergency Aid
Industry observers note that such ultra‑low‑price offers can be a double‑edged sword: they generate buzz and attract new users, but they also risk eroding consumer trust if perceived as mistakes. For now, the customer has retained the onions, and the episode adds to the growing list of flash‑sale curiosities that keep Indian online grocery shoppers on their toes.
