Govt to Meet Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy in Delhi on May 28, to Tackle Dark Patterns in E-Commerce

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is set to convene a high-level stakeholder meeting on May 28, 2025, in New Delhi to tackle the pressing issue of dark patterns in e-commerce platforms, Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a press release.

This important initiative aims to strengthen consumer protection across sectors such as food, pharmacy, travel, cosmetics, retail, clothing, and electronics, involving major industry players like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, Apple, Meta, MakeMyTrip, Paytm, Ola, Reliance Retail, and EaseMyTrip.

What Are Dark Patterns and Why Are They a Concern?

Dark patterns refer to deceptive user interface designs that manipulate consumers into making unintended choices, often leading to unwanted purchases or subscription traps. These unethical practices erode consumer trust, distort fair competition, and undermine the integrity of India’s rapidly growing digital commerce ecosystem.

Key Players and Stakeholders to Participate

Alongside leading e-commerce platforms, the meeting will include representatives from key industry organisations, Voluntary Consumer Organisations (VCOs), and National Law Universities (NLUs).

Their combined insights will help shape effective regulatory frameworks and compliance measures to curb dark patterns. Notable attendees include companies and platforms such as 1mg.com, BigBasket, Meesho, Yatra, Uber, Tata, Clear Trip, IndiaMart, IndiGo Airlines, JUSTDIAL, Medika Bazaar, Netmeds, ONDC, Thomas Cook, and WhatsApp.

Government’s Commitment to Consumer Protection

The Department of Consumer Affairs has been proactive in addressing dark patterns, issuing detailed guidelines on November 30, 2023, to identify and prevent 13 common deceptive tactics, including false urgency, confirm shaming, subscription traps, disguised advertisements, and interface interference. These efforts follow extensive consultations with stakeholders and experts.

In collaboration with IIT (BHU) Varanasi, the department also launched the Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023, inviting tech innovators nationwide to develop tools that detect and combat dark patterns.

The outcome was the launch of three consumer protection apps on National Consumers Day 2024, enhancing the digital safeguards available to Indian consumers.

Collaborative Approach to a Fair Digital Marketplace

This upcoming meeting reflects the government’s balanced approach, recognising that consumer protection and ease of doing business are complementary, not conflicting, objectives. By engaging industry leaders, consumer advocates, and academia, the Ministry aims to foster a transparent, trustworthy, and equitable e-commerce environment.

Read More: Swiggy vs Eternal (Zomato): Who’s Leading After Q4 Results?

Conclusion

The May 28 meeting in New Delhi represents a critical step toward ensuring Indian consumers are shielded from manipulative online practices while encouraging innovation and growth in the digital marketplace. With active participation from giants like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, and Zomato, combined with robust regulatory oversight, India is poised to lead the way in ethical e-commerce governance.

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