Dark patterns: 26 e-commerce platforms submit declarations after self-audit

In a major boost to consumer protection, 26 leading e-commerce and online service platforms—including Zepto, Flipkart, Myntra, Walmart India, Zomato and Meesho—have voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters to the government after auditing their platforms for dark patterns.

According to an official release, the e-commerce platforms have confirmed full compliance with the guidelines for prevention and regulation of dark patterns, 2023.

“In a major step towards protecting consumer interest in the digital marketplace, 26 leading e-commerce platforms have voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters confirming compliance with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement.

The ministry noted that the development marks an important milestone in India’s efforts to curb deceptive online design practices that mislead or manipulate consumers.

These companies conducted internal or third-party audits to identify and remove any misleading design elements, and have now declared their platforms “dark-pattern free.

“These platforms have conducted internal self-audits or third-party audits to identify, assess and eliminate any presence of dark patterns. All 26 companies have declared that their platforms are free from dark patterns and do not deploy any manipulative user interface designs,” the release stated.

The list includes Page Industries (Jockey, Speedo), William Penn (Sheaffer, Lapis Bard), PharmEasy, Zepto, Curaden India (Curaprox), Duroflex, Flipkart, Myntra, Cleartrip, Walmart India, MakeMyTrip, BigBasket, Tira Beauty, JioMart, Reliance Jewels, Ajio, Reliance Digital, Netmeds, Hamleys, MilBasket, Swiggy, Tata 1mg, Zomato, Blinkit, Ixigo and Meesho.

The central consumer protection authority (CCPA) has welcomed the industry-wide compliance, calling it a positive step toward greater transparency and consumer trust. The regulator had earlier directed platforms to publish their self-audit declarations prominently on their websites, which have also been uploaded to the CCPA’s site for public access.

The CCPA emphasised that dark patterns—such as hidden charges, false urgency messages or manipulative prompts—harm consumers and erode confidence in digital businesses. The authority continues to monitor potential violations and encourages consumers to report suspicious practices through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). It is also running awareness campaigns, including videos and social media outreach, to help users identify dark patterns.

What dark pattern rules cover

Notified on November 30, 2023, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the rules prohibit 13 deceptive online design practices, including false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, subscription traps, interface interference, bait-and-switch tactics, drip pricing, disguised advertisements, nagging prompts, trick wording, SaaS-related billing issues and rogue malware patterns.

To strengthen compliance, the CCPA issued an advisory on June 5, 2025, directing all digital platforms to conduct a mandatory self-audit within three months. The aim is to promote cleaner user interfaces, clearer disclosures and more informed, explicit user consent.