In response to a significant surge in consumer complaints related to e-commerce platforms, the Department of Consumer Affairs conducted a stakeholder consultation on Wednesday to address the protection of consumer interests from online fake reviews.
Consumer grievances registered on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) relating to e-commerce platforms skyrocketed from 95,270 in 2018, representing 22% of total grievances, to 444,034 in 2023, accounting for 43% of all complaints.
“The presence of fake reviews online jeopardises the trustworthiness and credibility of shopping platforms and can cause consumers to make wrong purchase decisions,” the department stated.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary of Consumer Affairs, chaired the meeting. Representatives from major online platforms such as Google, Meta, Amazon, and Flipkart, along with industry bodies and voluntary consumer associations, were in attendance.
During the meeting, the Department emphasised the growth in online shopping and the corresponding rise in consumer grievances within the e-commerce sector reported to the NCH.
Stakeholders welcomed the discussion on advancing a “quality control order for IS 19000:2022.”
A general consensus was reached on the importance of addressing fake reviews to protect consumer interests in online shopping, with a recommendation for close monitoring of the issue.
The draft quality control order (QCO) will be open for public consultation, allowing comments to be submitted within a prescribed timeframe.
The draft QCO outlines essential requirements, including processes for collecting, moderating, and publishing online consumer reviews to ensure that “genuine reviews get published,” the Department said.
