Govt tightens e-commerce rules to ensure price transparency, grievance redressal

Concept of internet retail illustrated by a minaiture shopping cart parked on the keyboard of a laptop. Small parcels made from cardboard is in both in and outside the cart. | Photo Credit: mikkelwilliam

In a bid to ensure more a more accountable e-commerce ecosystem, the government on Thursday said it has amended Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules tightening norms with regards to price transparency, bundled offerings, search results and dark patterns among others. These will come into force from January 1.

In terms of price reduction, the amendments require e-commerce platforms to display both the prior price and the reduced price. “The “prior price” means the lowest price at which the goods or services were offered during the 30 days preceding the announcement,” the official statement added.

“Marketplace e-commerce entities shall not collect bundled fees for services unrelated to the e-commerce platform, subject to the specified exception for loyalty or membership programmes. It shall not use consumer information for specified purposes without express and affirmative consent,” it added.

Information sought

E-commerce players will need to display details of importers along with the country of origin of the products listed on their platforms. Marketplace e-commerce entities will need provide key information, including best before or use before dates, return or refund, warranty, delivery and payment details, to enable informed consumer decisions.

At the same time, every e-commerce entity will need to provide a complainant with a copy of the complaint as recorded by its grievance officer. “E-commerce entities shall not manipulate search results in a manner that misleads users or adversely affects the relevance of results to the user’s search query. Sponsored listings shall be identified through clear and prominent disclosures,” DoCA stated.

Vigilance stepped up

The Consumer Affairs Ministry, which has stepped up vigilance against deceptive patterns, added that e-commerce entities will need to comply with the guidelines set for prevention and regulation of dark patterns but also undertake “undertake a yearly self-audit”. The players will also need to prominently display the compliance certificate.

Also, every e-commerce entity will be required to become a partner in the “convergence process” of the National Consumer Helpline to strengthen their integration with the national consumer grievance redressal mechanism.

The Department of Consumer Affairs said that the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 have been introducedwith the objective of strengthening consumer protection while facilitating a transparent and balanced regulatory framework for the e-commerce sector.

“The amendments seek to establish a more transparent, accountable and consumer-centric e-commerce ecosystem, while providing clarity to e-commerce entities on their responsibilities and enabling a level-playing field for businesses operating in the digital marketplace,” DoCA stated.

Published on September 10, 2026