Zepto added handling charges, BookMyShow pulled up for 'basket sneaking': Why 9 platforms were penalised

Nine digital platforms penalised over alleged dark patterns

Nine leading digital platforms have been penalised by consumer protection authorities for allegedly adopting "dark patterns"—design practices that can influence or mislead users into making purchases or accepting additional charges without clear consent.

Among the companies under scrutiny, Zepto was flagged for imposing handling charges, while BookMyShow was pulled up over alleged "basket sneaking", a practice where extra items or charges are added to a customer's cart without explicit approval.

The action is part of a broader regulatory push to ensure fairness and transparency in India's rapidly growing digital marketplace.

What is 'basket sneaking'?

Basket sneaking is a type of dark pattern in which additional products, services or fees are automatically added to a customer's shopping cart during the checkout process.

Consumers may complete a purchase without realising that extra items or charges have been included.

Authorities say such practices undermine informed consumer choice and violate principles of transparent pricing.

Why Zepto was flagged

According to regulators, Zepto attracted attention over the way handling charges were presented during the checkout process.

The concern is not necessarily the existence of such charges, but whether they were displayed clearly and transparently before customers completed their purchases.

Consumer rights advocates have argued that all mandatory fees should be prominently disclosed upfront to avoid misleading users.

BookMyShow under scrutiny

BookMyShow was reportedly pulled up for alleged basket sneaking after regulators found instances where optional services or charges could be added during the ticket-booking process without sufficiently clear user consent.

The company has been asked to ensure that customers have full control over what is included in their purchase before making payment.

What are dark patterns?

Dark patterns are user interface designs that encourage or manipulate consumers into making decisions they might not otherwise choose.

Common examples include:

• Hidden or late-disclosed charges

• Automatically adding products to a shopping cart

• Difficult subscription cancellation processes

• Misleading countdown timers

• Confusing opt-in or opt-out options

• Forced account creation before checkout

Indian consumer protection authorities have increasingly focused on eliminating such practices to strengthen digital consumer rights.

Consumer watchdog tightens oversight

The action against the nine platforms signals a tougher approach toward deceptive online business practices.

Authorities have directed the companies to review their user interfaces and ensure compliance with consumer protection norms, emphasising that digital businesses must provide clear pricing, transparent disclosures and informed consent throughout the purchasing process.

Industry experts believe the move could encourage e-commerce, ticketing and quick-commerce platforms to redesign parts of their checkout systems to improve transparency and build greater consumer trust.