'I miss you, says i-Pill': Zepto faces backlash over insensitive notification, says 'This mistake won't happen again'

Aadit Palicha-led quick commerce giant Zepto has faced criticism after sending an unsolicited and inappropriate marketing notification to a customer.

The notification, sent to a female user named Pallavi Pareek, read, "I miss you, Pallavi, says I-pill Emergency Contraceptive pill."

Pallavi express her anger in a LinkedIn post, stating, “I have never ordered an emergency pill from you. Even if I did, you should understand that this is not something I should be missing.” She also questioned, “Do you want me to need an emergency contraceptive?”

Pallavi is the founder and CEO of UNGENDER, a company that has empowered over a thousand workplaces and its leaders to navigate complex compliance landscapes and foster inclusive environments, as mentioned on her LinkedIn profile.

In her post, she said, "Messaging is appropriate only if it is sensitive, humorous, or logical. I draw the line when notifications become flirty or sleazy. But this is a little too much."

Notably, Pallavi clarified that she didn’t intend to criticize Zepto or its products. "I love Zepto as an app. They are a huge backbone to my life considering I rely heavily on such apps to place orders. This post is to highlight the flaw in mindless logic and copy and not against ipill promo or availability," she added.

Zepto's response

As her post gained significant attention, Zepto responded with an apology, acknowledging the "thoughtless and potentially harmful" nature of the message.

The company also assured users that immediate action had been taken, including updates to their processes and retraining of their team.

"We value your trust and well-being above all. This mistake won't happen again," it added.