The government has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, to tighten norms on price transparency, sponsored listings, search result manipulation and dark patterns, the Department of Consumer Affairs said on Thursday.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, will come into force from January 1, 2027, it said in a statement. The prior price has been defined as the lowest price at which the product was offered in the 30 days before the discount was announced. The department said the NCH received 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, of which 5,11,196, or about 29 per cent, related to 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 and a balanced approach that protects consumer interests without imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens on e-commerce entities,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement. Under the amended rules, e-commerce entities will have to disclose the reduced price and “prior price” whenever a price cut is announced. Sponsored listings will have to be identified through clear and prominent disclosures, the statement said.
