Online shopping may feel quick and convenient, but the choices presented on a screen are not always as straightforward as they appear. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has now tightened its scrutiny of such practices, penalising nine digital platforms for using so-called dark patterns that can influence or manipulate consumer decisions.
The penalties, totalling ₹20 lakh, cover companies operating across sectors including quick commerce, e-commerce, aviation, education, online pharmacy and cybersecurity.
The action has brought familiar names such as Zepto, IndiGo, BookMyShow, FirstCry, Physics Wallah and SpiceJet under the consumer watchdog’s spotlight.
Dark patterns are design techniques used on websites and apps that can push consumers towards choices they may not otherwise make. They can take the form of hidden charges, pre-selected options, misleading discounts, difficult cancellation processes or messages designed to create pressure.
The issue has become increasingly important as more Indians shop, book travel, subscribe to services and make payments online.
One of the largest penalties in the latest action was imposed on Zepto, which was fined ₹7 lakh. The quick-commerce platform was found to have displayed lower product prices before adding handling charges later in the checkout process. It also allegedly added a membership option to the basket automatically.
Such practices fall under categories known as drip pricing and basket sneaking.
Drip pricing occurs when the actual cost of a product or service is revealed only gradually, often towards the end of a transaction. Basket sneaking refers to adding products, services or other paid options to a consumer’s cart without clear consent.
For a customer ordering a few everyday items, the difference may appear small. But across millions of online transactions, such additional charges can have a significant impact on consumer spending.
BookMyShow was also penalised over a similar concern. The platform had a pre-selected ₹1 contribution towards its BookASmile initiative. Consumers could remove the contribution, but it was already selected unless they actively opted out.
The regulator treated this as basket sneaking, highlighting a larger concern: consumers should not have to notice and undo an unwanted choice before completing a purchase.
In the aviation sector, IndiGo and SpiceJet were among the platforms facing CCPA action. Flight bookings can involve several additional services and charges, making transparency particularly important for consumers comparing ticket prices.
The CCPA’s action reflects concerns that the price initially displayed to a traveller may not always represent the final amount payable after optional services, fees or other additions are included.
Other companies facing penalties include FirstCry, Physics Wallah, PharmEasy, McAfee and Anuj Jindal.
Physics Wallah was penalised over practices involving basket sneaking, confirm shaming and forced action. Confirm shaming refers to language or design that makes consumers feel guilty or irresponsible for refusing an offer. Forced action occurs when users are required to complete an unwanted step before accessing a product or service.
FirstCry was fined ₹2 lakh, while Anuj Jindal faced a ₹3 lakh penalty. PharmEasy, McAfee and SpiceJet were each fined ₹1 lakh.
The latest action comes under the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, introduced to address deceptive practices in India’s rapidly expanding digital marketplace.
The guidelines identify 13 categories of dark patterns. These include false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, subscription traps, interface interference, bait and switch, drip pricing, disguised advertisements, nagging and trick questions, among others.
A false urgency message, for example, could tell users that only a few products remain in stock or that an offer will expire within minutes, creating pressure to purchase immediately.
A subscription trap can make it easy to sign up for a service while making cancellation unnecessarily difficult.
The CCPA’s intervention signals that digital consumer protection is moving beyond traditional concerns such as misleading advertisements and defective products. Regulators are increasingly examining the design of digital interfaces themselves.
In June 2025, the CCPA had advised e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits to identify and remove dark patterns from their websites and applications. Companies were asked to examine their digital interfaces and submit declarations regarding compliance.
The latest penalties suggest that regulators are now moving from warnings and awareness to stronger enforcement.
For consumers, the message is equally practical: a discount displayed on an app may not always be the final price, and a pre-selected option should never be mistaken for a mandatory one.
Consumers are increasingly making decisions within seconds — clicking “buy now”, accepting a subscription or completing a payment without examining every line of a transaction. Dark patterns exploit precisely that behaviour.
For digital businesses, the action is a warning that user experience cannot come at the cost of transparency. Convenience, speed and attractive interfaces may draw customers in, but hidden charges and manipulative design can undermine trust.
