Zepto drops ‘dark patterns’ from app amid regulatory crackdown: Report

Quick commerce platform Zepto has removed certain interface elements on its app flagged by customers as “dark patterns”, becoming the first major e-commerce player to make such changes amid regulatory pressure, Moneycontrol reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the company has altered how its free-delivery benefit works.

Previously, users had to manually “opt in” for the feature, a process that drew criticism from customers. Now, the benefit is auto-applied, in line with rivals such as Blinkit.

Zepto has also redesigned its checkout flow, with the cart page now displaying all charges, including delivery, handling and surcharges, upfront instead of revealing them only at the final payment step.

The changes come after the Consumer Affairs Ministry warned e-commerce companies, including Zepto, Uber and Ola, earlier this year to remove manipulative design elements or face regulatory action.

What are dark patterns?

Guidelines issued on November 30, 2023, identified 13 types of dark patterns, including basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced actions, interface interference, bait-and-switch, drip pricing, and subscription billing traps.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry said all e-commerce platforms must examine their interfaces for practices that undermine consumer choice or constitute unfair trade practices.

"All e-commerce platforms have been advised to conduct self-audits to identify dark patterns, within 3 months of the issue of the advisory, and take necessary steps to ensure that their platforms are free from such dark patterns," the ministry said in a statement.

The authority had issued notices to some e-commerce platforms found violating guidelines for preventing dark patterns, though it did not name specific companies.