Zomato has removed dishes containing analogue dairy products, including analogue paneer, from its food delivery platform and introduced a zero-tolerance policy for such listings.
Restaurant partners have been directed to switch to natural dairy products or remove analogue dairy items from their menus, with non-compliant restaurants potentially facing removal from the platform.
The company said dishes that restaurant partners had identified as containing analogue dairy were delisted with immediate effect. The policy is aimed at protecting consumer interests and improving transparency over the ingredients used in food listed on the platform.
The decision comes amid wider scrutiny of analogue paneer and other dairy substitutes in India. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have banned the production, storage, distribution and sale of fake paneer.
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Restaurants Told to Review Ingredients
Zomato has asked restaurant partners to move to natural dairy products and remove menu items containing analogue dairy if an immediate transition is not possible.
Restaurants have also been directed to review product labels and ingredient declarations provided by suppliers. The company said this was necessary to verify the ingredients being used and ensure that menu items are accurately represented on the platform.
Restaurants that continue offering analogue dairy products without complying with the requirements may be removed from Zomato.
Zomato CEO Aditya Mangla said the company’s policy was linked to customer health and clear standards for food served by restaurant partners.
“At Zomato, our core mission is better food for more people, and that means safeguarding customer health and upholding clear standards for what’s listed and served by our restaurant partners,” Mangla said.
He added that the policy reflected a commitment being taken forward with restaurant partners who shared the same standards.
Policy Focuses on Consumer Transparency
Zomato said the move is intended to protect consumers and provide greater transparency in food listings.
As one of India’s widely used food delivery platforms, the decision could affect the availability and demand for dishes prepared with analogue paneer and other analogue dairy products.
The restrictions apply to food items prepared with substitutes that are designed to resemble dairy products but are made using different ingredients.
The company has already removed listings that restaurant partners themselves declared as containing analogue dairy, while the new requirements place responsibility on restaurants to verify the products and ingredients supplied to them.
What Analogue Paneer Contains
Unlike traditional paneer, which is produced from milk, analogue paneer is generally made using a mixture of vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and other additives.
These ingredients are processed to imitate the texture, appearance and functionality of dairy-based paneer. Although the finished product may visually resemble conventional paneer, it is not a dairy product.
Zomato’s new policy therefore requires restaurants either to replace such products with natural dairy alternatives or remove the affected dishes from their menus. The platform has warned that continued non-compliance could result in restaurants being delisted.
