New Delhi, Dec. 5 -- India's top consumer watchdog has imposed a penalty of Rs.700,000 on quick commerce platform Zepto for using 'dark patterns' and misleading price disclosures, including drip pricing and basket sneaking.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) said Zepto's practices violated multiple provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Mint has reviewed a copy of the final order.

Drip pricing is a deceptive practice in which the platform initially advertises a low price for a product, but inflates the final cost by charging additional fees. Basket sneaking refers to a service being added to a consumer's basket without their knowledge or consent.

CCPA's order follows the consumer affairs department's notice issu...