Overview

• Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said extra charges on CoD orders mislead buyers and fall under the dark pattern framework, with platforms now under detailed investigation.
• Authorities signalled strict action against violations and are assessing how widespread the fees are as well as whether disclosures at checkout are clear.
• Complaints and social posts highlight add‑ons such as offer handling, payment handling and protect promise fees on major platforms including Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto.
• The probe precedes peak festive sales, when online transactions surge, and follows a 13‑category policy that covers tactics like drip pricing and basket sneaking.
• Recent enforcement shows an aggressive posture, with penalties on misleading pricing and advertising such as FirstCry and Drishti IAS, though no new fines specific to CoD charges have been announced.