India, March 16 -- Algorithms are everywhere these days, and consumers have adapted to them, often without realising the extent to which these algorithms shape their buying decisions. And nowhere is this more evident than in the quick commerce space today, where dark patterns on Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit have set off several concerns.

Algorithmic pricing is not new - products aimed at women have the so-called pink tax, while modern day algorithms might show you higher prices for flights and holidays on a more expensive Apple Macbook than a PC.

But when the price of coriander spikes simply because a user owns a more expensive phone, it's inevitably a red flag. And then there are instances of hidden charges and fees being surrep...