Eternal Limited, formerly Zomato, gears up for a key investor forum as India enforces stricter rules on digital commerce, signalling increased regulatory scrutiny on online retail giants.
Eternal Limited will meet analysts and investors at Jefferies India Forum in Gurugram on 17 September, giving the company a fresh chance to outline its strategy as India’s online retail rules tighten. The company, formerly known as Zomato Limited, said it will take part in one-on-one and group discussions at the three-day event, which Jefferies says is designed to bring together senior executives, fund managers and investment specialists.
The timing matters. Just as Eternal prepares for that forum, India’s Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, with the new framework due to take effect on 1 January 2027. According to the government, the changes are meant to improve transparency in digital commerce while curbing misleading pricing, manipulated search results and deceptive promotional practices.
The revised rules require marketplaces to show prior prices when advertising discounts, clearly identify sponsored listings and stop any attempt to influence search rankings in ways that could mislead shoppers. They also bring in tougher expectations around consumer complaints, including direct integration with the National Consumer Helpline. Government data shows e-commerce accounted for about 29% of the 1.77 million complaints received by the helpline in 2025, underlining the scale of the issue regulators are trying to address.
For Eternal, the policy shift comes at a significant moment. The company reported consolidated revenue of ₹20,211 crore and net profit of ₹92 crore for the first quarter of FY27, while its market value on the BSE stood at ₹3,16,386.75 crore as of 1 September 2026. That combination of scale and scrutiny means the group’s food-delivery and quick-commerce businesses, including Zomato and Blinkit, are likely to face closer attention on pricing, sponsored listings and the way results are ordered and presented to users.
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