New Indian rules aim to protect online shoppers
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In India, the Department of Consumer Affairs updated the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 to give shoppers more transparency and control when buying goods online.
The amended rules, which take effect January 1, 2027, address practices that can mislead consumers about pricing and search results. Platforms must now display the prior price of a product, the lowest price offered in the last 30 days, when advertising a discount.
The government also prohibited e-commerce companies from manipulating search results to favour certain products or hide more relevant, lower-priced options. Paid or sponsored listings will be clearly marked as advertisements. These rules build on existing guidelines from 2023 that regulate “dark patterns”, design tricks that manipulate users into unintended choices, by requiring platforms to conduct annual self-audits and display compliance certificates.
Additionally, consumers will receive copies of their complaints filed with e-commerce companies, and platforms must integrate with the National Consumer Helpline to improve grievance resolution. The government acted after receiving over 1.7 million complaints in 2025, with roughly 29% related to e-commerce transactions. The new rules also require clear disclosure of importer details for foreign goods and restrict the use of consumer data without explicit permission.
