China's Shein faces same complaint in Europe that Indian government has gone after Flipkart, Amazon, Zomato and other online companies for

Time of India

2 days ago

The pan-European consumer organization BEUC has reportedly lodged a complaint with the European Commission, accusing Chinas fast-fashion giant Shein of employing "dark patterns" to manipulate shoppers into spending more on its app and website. These deceptive user interface tactics, designed to mislead consumers into unintended purchases, mirror practices the Indian government has been urging its e-commerce sector to regulate. Incidentally, these are the same Dark patters that Indian government have been telling ecommerce players in the country to follow guidelines on.
What are Dark Patterns in online shopping
Dark patterns are deceptive user interface designs that mislead or manipulate consumers into making unintended choices. These practices erode consumer trust, distort fair market dynamics, and pose a serious threat to the integrity of digital commerce.
What BEUC report says on Dark Patterns
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According to a report by Reuters, Dark patterns, such as pop-ups pressuring users not to leave the app, countdown timers creating urgency to buy, and infinite scroll features, were highlighted in BEUC's report as "aggressive commercial practices." The organization also criticized Shein's use of frequent notifications, noting one phone received 12 alerts in a single day. These methods, BEUC argues, erode consumer trust and distort fair market dynamics.
'For fast fashion, volume is key, and these dark patterns are engineered to drive mass consumption,' said Agustin Reyna, BEUC's director general, in an interview. He questioned whether Shein would have sufficient incentive to eliminate these practices, given their impact on sales.
Shein responded, stating it is 'working constructively with national consumer authorities and the EU Commission to demonstrate compliance with EU laws.' The company noted that BEUC declined its request for a meeting. Shein's gamification strategies, like the 'Puppy Keep' game, where users feed a virtual dog to earn points for discounts, further encourage frequent app engagement but risk penalizing users who don't log in daily.
The complaint, backed by 25 BEUC member organizations across 21 countries, including France, Germany, and Spain, also called for broader investigations into other mass-market clothing retailers using similar tactics. Last month, the European Commission warned Shein of potential fines for breaching EU consumer laws, while EU tech regulators are scrutinizing its compliance with online content rules.
Guidelines on Dark Patterns in India
Meanwhile, in India, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi recently addressed dark patterns at a high-level stakeholder meeting. The meeting included major e-commerce players like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, and Reliance Retail, among others, to discuss stronger measures against these manipulative practices. The Indian government has been pushing e-commerce platforms across sectors like food, travel, and retail to adhere to guidelines curbing dark patterns, signaling a global crackdown on such tactics.
BEUC's action follows a similar complaint against Shein's rival, Temu, as both platforms gain popularity in Europe through apps offering discounts and gamified shopping experiences. The growing scrutiny underscores rising concerns about the integrity of digital commerce worldwide.