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Volume:7, Issue: 3
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Journal of European Economic History
2026, Volume:7, Issue: 3 : 663-673 doi: 10.61336/JEEH/23-3-45
Research Article
The Role of Misleading Digital Advertisements in Shaping Consumer Buying Behaviour for FMCG Products
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1
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce Dayananda Sagar College of Arts, Science and Commerce
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce NMKRV College
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce MES Institute of Management
4
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce NMKRV College
Received
Sept. 24, 2026
Revised
Sept. 25, 2026
Accepted
Oct. 6, 2026
Published
Oct. 9, 2026
Abstract

The rapid proliferation of digital advertising in India's Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector has created unprecedented opportunities for brands to reach consumers, yet it has also ushered in an era of sophisticated deceptive marketing practices. This paper examines the role of misleading digital advertisements in shaping consumer buying behaviour for FMCG products, drawing upon regulatory frameworks, recent enforcement actions, and empirical evidence from the Indian marketplace. The research demonstrates that misleading digital advertisements operate through multiple mechanisms including exaggerated product claims, manipulative design patterns, celebrity endorsements without substantiation, and the deliberate concealment of material information to influence consumer perceptions and purchase decisions. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Signalling Theory, this paper analyses how consumer trust, scepticism, and purchase intentions are shaped by deceptive marketing practices in the digital sphere. The findings reveal that while digital advertising violations now account for the vast majority of regulatory complaints, enforcement mechanisms are evolving through the Central Consumer Protection Authority's recent actions, including the landmark '100%' ruling. However, persistent challenges including low consumer recall of digital ads, pervasive dark patterns, and jurisdictional complexities in cross-border digital advertising continue to undermine consumer protection. The paper concludes that addressing misleading digital advertisements requires a multi-pronged approach combining robust regulatory enforcement, enhanced platform accountability, consumer education, and industry self-regulation.

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