Archive · 11 Sep 2026
India Tightens Online Shopping Rules On Discounts And Fees
India is introducing stricter rules for online shopping from January 1, 2027.
Websites must show whether a discount is based on a real recent price.
They must display the lowest price charged in the previous 30 days.
Paid product placements must be clearly marked as sponsored.
Search results must not be changed in ways that mislead shoppers.
Websites must provide more information about returns, warranties, delivery, payments, and product dates before people buy.
Imported products must show their country of origin and importer.
Companies must ask for clear permission before using customer data for certain purposes.
They also cannot add unrelated fees without consent and must keep records of customer complaints.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, take effect on January 1, 2027.
Discounts must show the sale price and the product’s lowest price during the previous 30 days.
Sponsored listings must be clearly identified, while misleading search-result manipulation and dark patterns face stricter oversight.
Marketplaces must disclose product dates, return and refund policies, warranties, delivery and payment details, and imported goods’ origins and importers.
Companies need affirmative consent for specified data uses, cannot impose unrelated bundled fees, and must join the National Consumer Helpline process.
- Who
- The Department of Consumer Affairs and e-commerce companies, including marketplace platforms.
- What
- The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introduce new requirements covering discounts, sponsored listings, search results, disclosures, data use, fees, complaints, and compliance audits.
- When
- The rules were notified on Thursday and take effect on January 1, 2027.
- Where
- The rules apply to e-commerce companies and online marketplaces in India; the announcement was reported from Mumbai and New Delhi.
- Why
- The government says changing digital commerce and technology, along with rising consumer grievances, require stronger protections and more accountability for online shoppers.
- Rules
- Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026
- Effective date
- January 1, 2027
- Discount reference
- The lowest price charged during the 30 days before a discount is announced
- Consumer complaints in 2025
- The National Consumer Helpline received 17,71,622 complaints, including 5,11,196 related to online shopping
- Required product information
- Best-before or use-before dates, returns, refunds, warranties, delivery, and payment details
- Imported goods
- Country of origin and importer information must be disclosed
- Compliance duties
- Companies must conduct annual self-audits, display a compliance certificate, and join the National Consumer Helpline’s convergence process
