Chandra Ramanujan, a product designer based in Bengaluru, recently voiced his concerns on social media about Swiggy Instamart automatically adding free tomatoes to his order without providing an option to remove them. He expressed his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that while the tomatoes were complimentary, he couldn’t opt out, labeling this design choice a “dark pattern.”
In his post, Ramanujan shared a screenshot showing 500 grams of tomatoes added to his cart for free, stating, “I don’t want tomatoes but I cannot remove it from my cart.” He likened this practice to “basket sneaking,” a type of dark pattern where users are compelled to accept items or services they did not request.
Ramanujan explained that dark patterns are manipulative design tactics employed by websites or apps to mislead users into unintended actions, such as purchasing unnecessary items, enrolling in services, or disclosing personal information. These tactics often make it challenging for users to cancel subscriptions, opt out of extras, or manage their experience effectively.
Although he recognized that he wasn’t charged for the tomatoes, Ramanujan argued that the practice undermined fundamental e-commerce principles, asserting that users should always have complete control over their choices. His post has generated significant engagement, accumulating over 68,000 views. While some users debated whether a free item could constitute a dark pattern, others supported Ramanujan’s perspective, highlighting the importance of consumer choice. One user remarked, “Customer must have the final say. Offer freebies, but let the customer decide yes or no.”
Another user pointed out that Zepto, a competing quick-commerce platform, permits customers to remove free add-ons from their orders, contrasting this with Swiggy’s method. Speculation arose that Swiggy Instamart might be attempting to offload excess tomatoes. However, Ramanujan maintained his stance, clarifying, “The problem isn’t that I’m getting tomatoes. The problem is that basic expectations of e-commerce aren’t being respected.”
After the debate gained momentum, Ramanujan ultimately muted his post to halt further discussion, leaving the online community divided over Swiggy’s practices. As of now, Swiggy has not responded to the criticism.