Nine platforms penalised for adding hidden handling charges, including Zepto and BookMyShow

The Story in Brief

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has penalised nine digital platforms for using deceptive interface designs known as dark patterns, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The action is part of the consumer affairs department’s effort to strengthen safeguards against unfair digital trade practices. The CCPA’s Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns Guidelines, 2023 identify 13 types of deceptive designs, including false urgency, basket sneaking, subscription traps, drip pricing, confirm shaming and trick questions. The regulator issued an advisory in June 2025 asking e‑commerce platforms to conduct self‑audits.

Since the advisory, the CCPA has collected about ₹20 lakh in fines, the government said in a written reply on Tuesday. Specific penalties include Zepto Marketplace (₹7 lakh) for adding handling charges and membership fees, Physics Wallah (₹5 lakh) for a pre‑selected ₹10 donation and persuasive messaging, FirstCry (₹2 lakh), Anuj Jindal (₹3 lakh), and smaller penalties for PharmaEasy, McAfee and SpiceJet. BookMyShow was ordered to remove a pre‑ticked ₹1 contribution, and IndiGo altered an opt‑out prompt after the regulator’s intervention.

The Indian Opinion

Reporting highlights named firms and the fines imposed, which helps readers understand concrete regulatory outcomes. Some coverage can sound dramatic by naming companies prominently; the facts here point to targeted findings under a formal guideline and a June 2025 advisory rather than evidence of systemic or criminal intent across all platforms. The report notes companies paid penalties and discontinued the flagged practices. It is not clear from the article how widespread these design practices remain across the sector or whether the monetary penalties fully reflect consumer harm, so further disclosure or follow‑up would give a fuller picture of enforcement impact.

Original article: Zepto added handling charges, BookMyShow pulled up for ‘basket sneaking’: Why 9 platforms were penalised (www.hindustantimes.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.