The government has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 to strengthen transparency around search results, sponsored listings, price reductions, seller disclosures and consumer grievances.
The rules are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. They also address dark patterns, reflecting the shift in consumer regulation from simply policing false claims to examining how digital interfaces influence user decisions.
For platforms, compliance will increasingly involve product design as well as legal text. For consumers, the key question is whether disclosures become clearer at the point where purchase decisions are actually made.
