CCPA penalises Zepto, FirstCry over dark patterns and drip pricing at checkout

India's consumer watchdog is enforcing dark-pattern and drip-pricing rules, fining Zepto INR 7 lakh for hidden fees and a default Zepto Pass, and FirstCry INR 2 lakh for misleading MRP-plus-GST pricing. The action flags stricter checkout-transparency obligations across 13 identified dark patterns for retailers.

— Source publishedFri, 10 Jul, 2026, 07:05 IST·First seen Fri, 10 Jul, 2026, 10:26 IST·Source ET Brand Equity

What happened

CCPA is enforcing India's dark-pattern and drip-pricing rules on e-commerce, penalising Zepto (INR 7 lakh) for hidden fees and default Zepto Pass, and FirstCry

Key facts

  • INR 2,999
  • INR 4,999
  • INR 7 lakh penalty (Zepto)
  • INR 2 lakh penalty (FirstCry)
  • 13 dark patterns
  • 5 June 2025

Why this matters

Dark-pattern enforcement introduces a diligence line-item: assess target checkout practices and default-subscription revenue for regulatory exposure before valuing conversion-driven growth.

What to watch

  • CCPA notices or fines issued to Tier-1 platforms (Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Blinkit)
  • Escalation in penalty amounts or introduction of per-violation multipliers
  • New CCPA guidelines expanding or clarifying the 13 dark patterns
  • Consumer forum complaints or PILs citing this precedent
  • Quick-commerce subscription-model scrutiny (Zepto Pass-style defaults)
  • Audit checkout flows against all 13 defined dark patterns; prioritize default opt-ins, subscription auto-enrollment, and hidden-fee disclosure
  • Move to all-inclusive pricing display (MRP inclusive of GST and mandatory charges) ahead of enforcement
  • Legal and product teams draft dark-pattern compliance playbook and pre-checkout consent architecture
  • Benchmark competitor checkout UX to identify shared industry-risk patterns
  • Engage industry associations to seek CCPA clarification on ambiguous pattern definitions

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