CCPA orders Zepto and seven platforms to remove dark patterns; Zepto fined ₹7 lakh

India’s consumer regulator has acted against eight platforms including Zepto, FirstCry, PharmEasy, BookMyShow, McAfee, Physics Wallah and SpiceJet over deceptive interface practices. The action targets 13 dark-pattern practices under consumer-protection and e-commerce rules.

— Filed Thu, 6 Aug, 2026, 16:13 IST · Source NDTV Profit · Updated

India’s CCPA ordered eight platforms, including Zepto, FirstCry, PharmEasy and BookMyShow, to remove deceptive dark patterns. Zepto was fined Rs 7 lakh for checkout charges and an added membership fee; other platforms also faced penalties or interface changes.

Why this matters

The order follows recent signals that the CCPA intensified its dark-pattern crackdown and fined nine platforms, while Zepto also appears in India’s consumer-company IPO pipeline.

Retail-company theme is accelerating: +150830% QoQ.