Lok Sabha Question No. 1628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-10
Subject: Dark Patterns
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Ms. Mahua Moitra

## 1628.   MS. MAHUA MOITRA:

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of number of complaints received against dark pattern practices by e-commerce platforms, since 2023, year and platform-wise;
- (b) the details of the number of e-commerce platforms that have carried out self-audit and self-declaration against  dark  patterns  as  per  the  advisory  of  the  Central  Consumer  Protection  Authority  (CCPA), platform-wise; and
- (c) the  details  of  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  against  e-commerce  platforms  indulging  in  dark patterns including penalties and fines, platform-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a) to (c) Department of Consumer Affairs is continuously working for protection and empowerment of consumers. The Department has notified the  Consumer Protection  (E-commerce) Rules,  2020  under  the  provisions  of  the  Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to safeguard consumers from unfair trade practices in e-commerce. These rules, inter-alia, outline the responsibilities of e-commerce entities and specify the liabilities of marketplace and inventory e-commerce entities, including provisions for customer grievance redressal.

Central Consumer Protection Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 18 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, issued 'Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023' on 30th November, 2023, listing 13 specified dark patterns identified in e-Commerce sector. These include false urgency, Basket Sneaking, Confirm  shaming,  forced  action,  Subscription  trap,  Interface  Interference,  Bait  and  switch,  Drip  Pricing,  Disguised Advertisements, Nagging, Trick Wording, Saas Billing and Rogue Malwares.

An  'Advisory  in  terms  of  Consumer  Protection  Act,  2019  on  Self-Audit  by  E-Commerce  Platforms  for detecting  the  Dark  Patterns  on  their  platforms  to  create  a  fair,  ethical  and  consumer  centric  digital  ecosystem'  was issued by  Central Consumer Protection Authority on 5 th June,2025 .

All E-Commerce platforms have been advised through the said Advisory to take necessary steps to ensure that their platforms do not engage in such deceptive and unfair trade practices, which are in the nature  of Dark Patterns. Further,  all  E-Commerce  platforms  have  been  advised  to  conduct  self-audits  to  identify  dark  patterns,  within  three months of the issue  of  the  advisory and  take  necessary  steps  to  ensure  that  their  platforms  are  free  from  such  dark patterns.    Based  on  the  self-audit  reports,  the  E-Commerce  platforms  should  also  give  self-declarations  that  their platform is not indulging in any dark patterns in order to ensure fair digital ecosystem along with building trust between consumers and e-commerce platforms.

26 leading e-commerce  platforms have voluntarily submitted their self-declaration letters confirming compliance with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 and their names are enclosed as Annexure .

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## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1628

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025

## DARK PATTERNS

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UN  STARRED QUESTION NO.  1628  DUE FOR 10.12.2025  REGARDING 'DARK PATTERNS':

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The platforms that have submitted declarations are:

- (i) Page Industries Private Limited (JOCKEY)

- (ii) WILLIAM PENN Private Limited

- (iii) Axelia Solutions Pvt. Ltd.( "Pharmeasy")

- (iv) Zepto Marketplace Pvt. Ltd.(Zepto)

- (v) Curaden India Private Limited

- (vi) Duroflex Private Limited

- (vii) Flipkart Internet Private Limited

- (viii) Myntra Designs Private Limited

- (ix) Cleartrip Private Limited

- (x) Walmart India Private Limited

- (xi) Makemy Trip (India) Private Limited

- (xii) Big Basket (Innovative Retail Concepts Private Limited)

(xiii)

Tira Beauty (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xiv) Jio Mart ( Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xv) Reliance Jewels (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xvi) Ajio (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xvii) Reliance Digital (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xviii) Netmeds (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xix) Hamleys (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xx) MilBasket (Reliance Retail Limited)

- (xxi) Swiggy Limited

- (xxii) TATA 1 mg

- (xxiii) Zomato (Eternal Limited)

- (xxiv) Blinkit (Blink Commerce Private Limited)

- (xxv) Ixigo (Le Travenues Technology Limited)

- (xxvi) Meesho

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