Indian consumers continue to lose anywhere between ₹25,000 crore ($2.6 billion) and ₹28,000 crore ($2.9 billion) annually to deceptive design practices, with enforcement struggling to keep pace, according to a new industry report.
The report estimated that dark patterns, tactics that lead users into making purchases they did not intend to make, also put nearly ₹55,000 crore in gross merchandise value (GMV) at risk as frustrated users cut spending, switch platforms, or abandon purchases altogether.
The report, released by market research firm Datum Intelligence, pegged the annual economic footprint of dark patterns at ₹80,000 to 83,000 crore, equivalent to roughly 7.5 to 7.8% of India’s digital commerce market, which is projected to rise to $266 billion by 2030.
The findings come over two years after the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) notified guidelines prohibiting 13 categories of dark patterns, including false urgency, basket sneaking, drip pricing, and subscription traps.
However, the report said compliance remains weak across India’s online marketplaces, with quick commerce emerging as the sector with the highest overall severity score, driven largely by practices such as false urgency, nagging and forced actions.
The report noted that while 81% of respondents said they could recognise a dark pattern when shown one, 85% still acknowledged having been misled by such practices, highlighting significant shortcomings in consumer grievance redressal.
The report recommended independent audits, public disclosure of platform scores and stronger penalties linked to company turnover, similar to approaches adopted in parts of Europe.
