India: Indian authorities have accused retail giants Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart of breaching national quality control regulations by stocking uncertified products, the country’s top product certification agency announced on Thursday.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted raids on Wednesday at warehouses operated by both companies in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.
According to an official statement, investigators found that Amazon and Flipkart had been storing, selling, and displaying goods without the mandatory BIS certification mark, a requirement for various product categories.
Authorities seized 3,376 uncertified products from Amazon’s warehouse, including flasks, insulated food containers, toys, and ceiling fans. Meanwhile, Flipkart’s warehouse contained uncertified diapers, casseroles, and stainless steel water bottles. Both companies acknowledged the raids and reiterated their commitment to regulatory compliance.
Cracking down on unsafe products, #BIS takes a big step toward consumer safety! BIS raids #Amazon & #Flipkart warehouses in #Gurgaon, #Lucknow & #Delhi, seizing substandard toys, blenders, bottles & speakers, violating the BIS Act 2016. pic.twitter.com/kKUb1H3OVq
— Bureau of Indian Standards (@IndianStandards) March 19, 2025
The latest action adds to a series of regulatory challenges for the two e-commerce giants, which dominate India’s online retail sector- valued at approximately $57 billion-$60 billion in 2023 and projected to surpass $160 billion by 2028, according to consultancy firm Bain.
Both companies have been under scrutiny for past regulatory violations. In September 2023, an antitrust probe found that Amazon and Flipkart had favored select sellers on their platforms, violating competition laws. This was followed by raids on Amazon and Flipkart-linked sellers in November 2023, revealing that Amazon had allegedly granted preferential treatment to a select group of vendors while circumventing Indian regulations.
The Indian government has been stepping up enforcement of e-commerce and consumer protection laws, with BIS actively cracking down on the sale of non-compliant products.
