Bengaluru woman sues Swiggy after biting prawn in Rs 145 vegan sandwich, wins Rs 1 lakh compensation

Bengaluru’s 37-year-old vegetarian, Nisha G, ordered a simple vegan sandwich on Swiggy but shockingly discovered prawn pieces inside instead of the usual veggies, triggering panic and cleansing rituals, Times of India reported. When neither Swiggy nor the restaurant offered her an effective solution, she knocked on the doors of the consumer forum, which sanctioned over Rs. 1 Lakh in compensation and damage costs jointly from Swiggy and the restaurant.

What actually happened?

The next day, she visited the Paris Panini outlet, where the manager admitted the mix-up, blaming it on “heavy rush.” The restaurant offered a replacement for the mistake, but Nisha refused, saying she felt “humiliated and spiritually violated” being a pious brahmin who follows ahimsa or non-violence.

On July 20, 2024, Nisha sent legal notices to both Swiggy and Paris Panini, but neither responded. On August 22, 2024, she filed a consumer complaint alleging a deficiency in service and a breach of trust by both the restaurant and the delivery provider, seeking Rs 2 lakh in compensation.

Swiggy argued that it was only a platform connecting customers with restaurants, and that the contract of sale existed solely between the buyer and the restaurant.

Paris Panini admitted the error, calling it an unintentional mistake during peak hours. They also added that “a normal vegan would not have chosen our restaurant, as we serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.”

The Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled that delivering non-vegetarian food to a vegan "amounts to a grave deficiency in service".

"The act of sending non-vegetarian food to a vegan or a person having certain food restrictions on the basis of religion, culture or health, cannot be taken lightly," the order stated. "Such negligence has emotional, religious, and psychological consequences.”

The commission directed Swiggy and Paris Panini to jointly pay Rs 50,000 as compensation, Rs 50,000 for mental agony, Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs, and a refund of Rs 146 (cost of the sandwich) with 12 per cent annual interest from the date of the order till realisation.

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