Top 26 E-Commerce Players Declare Their Platform Free From Dark Patterns: Govt
26 e-commerce players have conducted internal self-audits or third-party audits to identify, assess and eliminate any presence of dark patterns
New Delhi: In a major step towards protecting the consumer’s interest in the digital marketplace, the government on Thursday said that 26 leading e-commerce platforms such as Zepto, BigBasket, Zomato and others alike have voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters, saying that their platforms are free from misleading claims and unfair trade practices, which constitute ‘dark patterns’ as per the government guidelines. The move of the government aims to curb deceptive online design practices that mislead or manipulate consumers across the country.
As far as ‘dark patterns’ are concerned in e-commerce platforms, they involve using design and choice architecture to deceive, coerce, or influence consumers into making choices that are not in their best interest. They also encompass a wide range of manipulative practices, such as drip pricing, disguised advertising, bait-and-switch, and false urgency.
As per the industry estimate, there are over 2.6 million active e-commerce marketplaces operating in India as of September 2025, with a growth rate of around 18 per cent year-over-year since 2020. The major dominated players are Amazon, Flipkart, alongside specialised marketplaces such as Meesho, Myntra, Nykaa and others.
Among the 26 companies listed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) are well-known names such as Flipkart, Myntra, Zomato, Swiggy, Meesho, BigBasket, JioMart and others. “As many as 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 department of consumer affairs informed in a statement.
As per the statement, these 26 e-commerce players 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 department said.
The government has been working to curb these ‘unfair’ practices in e-commerce marketplaces that mislead or manipulate consumers. The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, which were notified on November 30, 2023, identify and prohibit 13 dark patterns. “These declarations would encourage other companies to adopt similar self-regulation,” the CCPA said.
In June this year, the CCPA issued an advisory asking all e-commerce platforms and online service providers to conduct a mandatory self-audit within three months to detect and eliminate dark patterns. Some of the e-commerce platforms that have self-declared their platforms are free of dark patterns include Pharm Easy, Zepto Marketplace, Flipkart Internet, Myntra Designs, Walmart India, MakeMyTrip (India), BigBasket (Innovative Retail Concepts), and JioMart (Reliance Retail).
The other leading e-commerce platforms that have declared compliance with self-audit to eliminate dark patterns include Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Page Industries, William Penn, Cleartrip, Reliance Jewels, Reliance Digital, Netmeds, Tata 1mg, Meesho, Ixigo, MilBasket, Hamleys, Ajio, Tira Beauty (Reliance Retail Ltd), Duroflex Pvt. Ltd and Curaden India.
The CCPA has also directed other e-commerce platforms, marketplace entities, service providers, and app developers to emulate the action taken by these companies and remove dark patterns. “Every business operating in India's digital space must recognize that manipulative practices are short-sighted strategies that harm both consumers and businesses in the long run,” the CCPA added.
