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The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, acting through the Department of Consumer Affairs, has notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, vide Notification No. CG-DL-E-10092026-276125, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), dated 9 September 2026.

The visual interface of ecommerce platforms increasingly influences how consumers select, purchase, subscribe to and cancel goods and services. Before the issuance of a framework specifically addressing dark patterns, the Consumer Protection Act 2019 (“Consumer Protection Act”) and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020 (“E-Commerce Rules”) already prohibited unfair trade practices in e-commerce.

On September 9, 2026, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs) notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 (“Amendment Rules”), amending the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (“E-Commerce Rules”). The Amendment Rules will come into force on January 1, 2027.

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2026 introduce significant compliance obligations for e-commerce platforms, particularly regarding the disclosure of Country of Origin and other product information. This article analyses the key amendments, their implications for manufacturers, importers, and online marketplaces, and the broader objectives of strengthening consumer protection in the digital marketplace.

The Supreme Court has delivered a pivotal judgment on banking liability under consumer protection law, examining whether banks can be held liable for deficiency in service when they fail to present deposited cheques within their validity period. This case arose from civil appeals filed by Canara Bank challenging the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's ruling that found the bank guilty of service deficiency.

India's Food Safety and Standards Authority intensified enforcement in August 2026, targeting major food and beverage companies over "100%" purity claims, energy drink labeling, and packaging compliance. The regulatory actions against Dabur, ITC, Diageo, and over 150 other companies reveal how product names, packaging, and advertising copy are now treated as interconnected consumer protection issues requiring coordinated legal review.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”) has, over the course of late May 2025, taken two connected regulatory steps aimed at curbing misleading claims on packaged food labels. First, FSSAI issued a formal advisory to all Food Business Operators (“FBOs”) directing them to discontinue the use of the term “100%” on food labels, packaging, and promotional material. Second, and consistent with the concerns underlying that advisory, FSSAI issued a detailed notice to a confectionery company in India, flagging specific instances of non-compliant labelling and misleading claims across several of its product lines.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 defines misleading advertisements as advertisements which "falsely describe the product or service; give a false guarantee or is likely to mislead the consumers as to the nature, substance, quality ...

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (the Act) received the President's assent on 9 August 2019 which has replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

These e-commerce rules have come into force. Below is a compliance checklist for such entities to give a head start.