Indian consumers are losing an estimated ₹25,000 crore to ₹28,000 crore annually due to deceptive interface designs, commonly known as dark patterns, across online marketplaces, according to a report.The 'Dark Patterns in India’s Online Marketplaces' report, released by market research firm Datum Intelligence on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), said 88% of the country's 304 million online buyers lose approximately ₹78 to ₹87 per month each to hidden charges, forced add-ons, drip pricing, false urgency rules and subscription traps."Existing regulatory interventions have so far had limited success in curbing deceptive digital practices that continue to impact millions of consumers," the report noted.The survey found that 63% of online payment users now experience hidden charges or drip pricing—where additional fees are revealed at the checkout stage. This marks an increase from the 52% reported in 2024. Furthermore, 73% of the platforms assessed deploy forced action mechanisms, compelling users into actions they might not otherwise choose.The study analysed 12 leading platforms across e-commerce, quick commerce and online travel.The survey was conducted in the first quarter of 2026 among 2,590 consumers across 50 cities.Among e-commerce platforms, Amazon emerged as the most trusted, with 50% of users naming it their preferred choice. In contrast, Flipkart was the only platform where distrust (41%) exceeded trust (37%), a gap the report attributed to higher per-encounter ‘financial extraction’.In the online travel sector, MakeMyTrip was perceived as the safest, while Cleartrip ranked among the most harmful.In the quick commerce segment, BigBasket recorded one of the highest severity scores, the report added. The study also highlighted an "awareness paradox" among Indian shoppers.While 81% of respondents said they were aware of dark patterns, 85% still reported being misled by them.However, 74% of online shoppers indicated a willingness to pay more for platforms that commit to fair and transparent design practices. Published - June 09, 2026 09:58 pm IST