Govt Amends Consumer Protection Rules

Udaipur Times, Sept 11, 2026 - The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, through the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, with the objective of strengthening consumer protection while facilitating a transparent and balanced regulatory framework for the e-commerce sector.

The amended Rules seek to address emerging consumer concerns in the digital marketplace while taking into account the need for Ease of Doing Business.

Key Amendments

• Consumer complaints: Every e-commerce entity shall provide the complainant with a copy of the complaint as recorded by its grievance officer.
• 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.
• Sponsored listings: Sponsored listings shall be identified through clear and prominent disclosures.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Consumer information: Marketplace e-commerce entities shall not use consumer information for specified purposes without express and affirmative consent.
• 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.
• Imported goods: Importer details and country of origin shall be disclosed for imported goods.

The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 shall come into force from January 1, 2027.