Consumer Protection E-Commerce Rules 2026: Govt Mandates Annual Dark Pattern Audits, Prior Price Disclosures
Centre amended e-commerce rules to mandate prior price disclosure, regulate sponsored listings and curb dark patterns from January 2027
The Centre has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, introducing stricter requirements on price transparency, sponsored listings, search result manipulation and dark patterns.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified by the Department of Consumer Affairs, will come into force on January 1, 2027.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said the amendments seek to address emerging consumer concerns in the digital marketplace while balancing consumer protection with ease of doing business.
Price Transparency And Search Results
Under the amended rules, e-commerce entities will have to disclose the reduced price alongside the “prior price” whenever a discount is announced. The prior price has been defined as the lowest price at which the product was offered during the 30 days preceding the announcement of the discount.
The rules also prohibit e-commerce entities from manipulating search results in a manner that misleads consumers or adversely affects the relevance of results to a search query. Sponsored listings will have to be identified through clear and prominent disclosures.
Dark Patterns And Consumer Complaints
The amended rules require e-commerce entities to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023. They will also have to undertake an annual self-audit and display a certificate of compliance.
Dark patterns refer to deceptive design practices used on digital platforms to influence consumer decisions. These include drip pricing, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, subscription traps and misleading prompts. The amendments further mandate every e-commerce entity to become a partner in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH).
According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the NCH received 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, of which 5,11,196, or approximately 29 per cent, related to the e-commerce sector.
Every e-commerce entity will also have to provide a complainant with a copy of the complaint as recorded by its grievance officer.
Information Disclosure By Marketplaces
Marketplace e-commerce entities will be required to disclose key product and transaction information, including best before or use before dates, return and refund policies, warranty details, delivery information and payment-related details. For imported goods, the importer’s details and country of origin will also have to be disclosed.
The rules further prohibit marketplace e-commerce entities from using consumer information for specified purposes without express and affirmative consent. They also bar marketplaces from collecting bundled fees for services unrelated to the e-commerce platform, except in the case of loyalty or membership programmes.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, were notified under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to protect consumers against unfair trade practices in the e-commerce sector.
The Department of Consumer Affairs said the amendments aim to build a transparent, accountable and consumer-centric e-commerce ecosystem while ensuring ease of doing business.