Platforms will be prohibited from manipulating search results in ways that mislead users or adversely affect the relevance of results to their queries.
India’s e-commerce sector is set for tighter consumer-protection obligations, with the government amending the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 to bring search-result manipulation, sponsored listings, pricing disclosures and dark patterns under greater regulatory scrutiny.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified by the Department of Consumer Affairs, will come into effect from January 1, 2027. The amendments also require e-commerce entities to become convergence partners of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), strengthening the mechanism for resolving consumer complaints before they reach consumer courts.
The regulatory intervention comes against a backdrop of rising complaints involving e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. Nearly 20 lakh complaints were filed against such platforms through the NCH over the past five years, according to data presented by the government in Parliament in August. In 2025 alone, 5.1 lakh complaints were recorded, a 16% increase from 4.4 lakh in the previous year.
Flipkart accounted for 1.33 lakh complaints in 2025, followed by Amazon with 91,248 and Meesho with 29,284.
One of the key changes concerns how consumers encounter products on digital marketplaces. Platforms will be prohibited from manipulating search results in ways that mislead users or adversely affect the relevance of results to their queries. Sponsored listings will also have to carry clear and prominent disclosures, putting greater emphasis on distinguishing paid placements from organic search results.
The rules also introduce a more defined requirement around advertised price reductions. When a price reduction is announced, platforms must display both the reduced price and the prior price. The prior price will be defined as the lowest price at which the product or service was offered during the 30 days preceding the announcement.
Dark patterns, meanwhile, move from being addressed primarily through guidelines to becoming part of an explicit compliance framework under the amended rules. E-commerce entities will have to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, conduct an annual self-audit and prominently display a certificate of compliance.
The 2023 guidelines had defined dark patterns as deceptive user-interface and user-experience practices that mislead consumers into taking actions they may not have intended. They identified 13 practices, including false urgency, basket sneaking, subscription traps, drip pricing, forced action and bait-and-switch.
The government had already asked e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits for dark patterns within three months in an advisory issued last year. The advisory also referred to Rule 4(9) of the E-Commerce Rules, which requires consumer consent to be explicit and affirmative, without pre-ticked boxes or hidden opt-ins.
The latest amendments additionally require marketplace entities to provide consumers with key product and transaction information, including best-before or use-before dates, return and refund terms, warranty, delivery and payment details. Platforms will also be required to disclose importer information and country of origin for imported goods.
Consumer data use has also been addressed. Marketplace e-commerce entities will not be permitted to use consumer information for specified purposes without express and affirmative consent. The amended rules further prohibit marketplaces from collecting bundled fees for services unrelated to the e-commerce platform, subject to the specified exception for loyalty or membership programmes.
The amendments also strengthen the complaint-handling process by requiring e-commerce platforms to provide complainants with a copy of their complaint as recorded by the platform’s grievance officer.
The changes follow increasing regulatory attention on the way additional charges and pricing practices are presented to consumers, particularly during major online sales. Following Flipkart’s Big Billion Days and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival last year, the Department of Consumer Affairs intensified scrutiny of alleged dark patterns, including additional cash-on-delivery and handling charges.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had said at the time that the ministry had received multiple complaints about additional costs being imposed at checkout despite advertised discounts. “Charging extra for COD is classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers,” Joshi had said, adding that a detailed probe was underway.
The scrutiny followed consumer complaints over charges described as “payment handling fees” and “protect promise fees” being added to discounted purchases on the platforms.
With the amended rules scheduled to take effect at the beginning of 2027, e-commerce platforms will face a broader set of obligations covering the way products are ranked, paid placements are disclosed, discounts are presented, consumer consent is obtained and additional charges are levied.
“The amendments seek to establish a more transparent, accountable and consumer-centric e-commerce ecosystem, while providing clarity to e-commerce entities on their responsibilities and enabling a level-playing field for businesses operating in the digital marketplace,” the Department of Consumer Affairs said.
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First Published on September 11, 2026, 16:51:56 IST
