New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- The government has tightened rules governing e-commerce platforms, introducing new requirements on price disclosures, sponsored listings, search results, consumer consent and the use of dark patterns. The Department of Consumer Affairs announced the changes on Thursday.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, will take effect from January 1, 2027. The amendments modify the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, which were notified under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to protect consumers from unfair trade practices in online commerce.
Under the new rules, platforms announcing a discount will have to show both the reduced price and the product's "prior price". The prior price has been defined as the lowest price at which the product was available during the 30 days before the discount was announced.
The rules also prohibit e-commerce entities from manipulating search results in ways that could mislead consumers or reduce the relevance of results to their search queries. Paid or sponsored listings must be marked with clear and prominent disclosures so that consumers can distinguish them from regular search results.
Platforms will also have to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023. They will be required to conduct a self-audit every year and display a certificate confirming compliance.
As part of the new consumer grievance framework, every e-commerce entity will have to become a partner in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). The department said the NCH received 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, with 5,11,196 complaints, or about 29 per cent, relating to the e-commerce sector.
The amended rules require grievance officers to provide complainants with a copy of the complaint as recorded by the officer.
Marketplace platforms will have to provide consumers with key product and transaction information, including best-before or use-before dates, return and refund policies, warranty details, delivery terms and payment information. For imported products, the name and details of the importer and the country of origin must also be disclosed.
The rules place additional limits on the handling of consumer data. Marketplace e-commerce entities cannot use consumer information for specified purposes without obtaining express and affirmative consent. They are also barred from charging bundled fees for services unrelated to the e-commerce platform, except where such charges form part of loyalty or membership programmes.
The Department of Consumer Affairs said the amendments are intended to create a more transparent and accountable e-commerce system while maintaining ease of doing business.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.