Govt amends e-commerce rules

• The Department of Consumer Affairs amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 through the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

• It will come into force from January 1, 2027.

• The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, were notified under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to protect consumers from unfair trade practices in e-commerce.

• The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) received 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, of which 5,11,196 (about 29 per cent) were  related to the e-commerce sector.

• The objective of the amendments is 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.

The amended Rules provide for:

i) Consumer complaints: Every e-commerce entity shall provide the complainant with a copy of the complaint as recorded by its grievance officer.

ii) Search results: 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.

iii) Sponsored listings: Sponsored listings shall be identified through clear and prominent disclosures.

iv) Price reductions: Where a price reduction is announced, the reduced price and prior price shall both be displayed. The “prior price” means the lowest price at which the goods or services were offered during the 30 days preceding the announcement.

v) Dark patterns: E-commerce entities shall comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, undertake a yearly self-audit and prominently display a certificate of compliance.

vi) Seller and product information: Marketplace e-commerce entities shall provide key information, including best before/use before dates, return/refund, warranty, delivery and payment details, to enable informed consumer decisions.

vii) Consumer information: Marketplace e-commerce entities shall not use consumer information for specified purposes without express and affirmative consent.

viii) Bundled fees: 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.

ix) Imported goods: Importer details and country of origin shall be disclosed for imported goods.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)