CCPA Imposed ₹10 Lakh Penalty on Rapido for Misleading Tipping Prompts and Dark Patterns

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, which operates Rapido, for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, unfair contracts, and dark patterns. The action stems from Rapido’s ride-booking interface featuring pre-ride tipping prompts and dynamic pricing mechanisms, such as 'Confirm Shaming' and 'Interface Interference' via a colour-coded pricing slider. The CCPA held that prompting users to pay extra during booking to secure rides creates an unfair sense of urgency, violates the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, and runs counter to the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which mandate that tipping features be made available only after ride completion.