CCPA Fines 9 Digital Platforms Including Zepto, IndiGo Over Dark Patterns

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against nine digital platforms such as Zepto, PhysicsWallah, and IndiGo for using "dark patterns" that can influence consumer decisions, with the government informing the Rajya Sabha that the companies were directed to discontinue such practices.

In a written reply on Tuesday, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said the regulator has strengthened measures to curb unfair practices in the digital marketplace.

According to the government, the CCPA has so far collected around ₹20 lakh in penalties from platforms found to be in violation. The company-wise penalties were reported by Hindustan Times (HT).

India introduced the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, which identify 13 deceptive online practices, including basket sneaking, drip pricing, false urgency, subscription traps, confirm shaming and trick questions.

The Rajya Sabha reply said the CCPA followed this up with an advisory in June 2025, asking e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits and ensure their interfaces were free from such practices.

Zepto, Physics Wallah Among Cos Penalised

According to the government's reply, Zepto Marketplace received the highest penalty of ₹7 lakh after the CCPA found that handling charges and membership fees were added during the purchase journey.

The regulator treated the handling fee as drip pricing, while the automatic inclusion of membership was categorised as basket sneaking, as per HT. The government said the platform has since withdrawn the practice.

The CCPA also imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on Physics Wallah after taking suo motu cognisance of a pre-selected ₹10 donation to the "PW Foundation".

According to the government, users were presented with emotionally persuasive messaging to retain the donation, while access to free courses required mandatory disclosure of personal information. "The company deposited the penalty and discontinued the dark pattern," the government said.

Changes Made After CCPA Intervention

The government also informed Parliament that IndiGo modified its mobile application after complaints of confirm shaming. Following the CCPA's intervention, the airline replaced the opt-out message "No I will take risk" with "No, I will not add to the trip."

BookMyShow was similarly directed to remove a pre-ticked ₹1 contribution to its BookASmile initiative after the regulator identified it as a case of basket sneaking, as per HT.

Other platforms that faced penalties included FirstCry (₹2 lakh), Anuj Jindal (₹3 lakh), PharmaEasy (₹1 lakh), McAfee (₹1 lakh) and SpiceJet (₹1 lakh).

The government said these companies were asked to discontinue practices ranging from hidden charges and misleading countdown timers to forced subscriptions and manipulative subscription renewal prompts.