On December 20, a cover news reporter learned from the State Administration for Market Regulation that the National Development and Reform Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the Cyberspace Administration of China jointly issued the "Internet Platform Price Behavior Rules" (hereinafter referred to as the "Conduct Rules") to improve the protection of the independent pricing rights of operators within the platform and clarify that platform operators shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or attach unreasonable conditions to the price behavior of operators within the platform.
The "Rules of Conduct" make it clear that operators within the platform who sell goods or provide services on different platforms must set their own prices in accordance with the law. Platform operators shall not violate the provisions of Article 35 of the "E-Commerce Law" by taking measures such as raising charging standards, adding charging items, deducting deposits, reducing subsidies or discounts, restricting traffic, descending search order, downgrading algorithms, blocking stores, removing goods or services from shelves, or imposing the following unreasonable restrictions or unreasonable additions on the price behavior of operators within the platform. Reasonable conditions: forcing or in a disguised form forcing the operators on the platform to reduce prices or conducting promotions in the form of profit concessions, cashbacks, etc.; forcing or in a disguised form forcing the operators on the platform to sell goods or provide services on the platform at prices not higher than those in other sales channels; forcing or in a disguised form forcing the operators on the platform to activate automatic price tracking, automatic price reduction or similar systems, etc.
It is reported that the above three departments publicly solicited public opinions on the "Rules of Conduct" from August 23 to September 22, 2025. According to the relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, the modifications and improvements to the "Rules of Conduct" are mainly to refine the regulatory requirements for protecting the independent pricing rights of operators within the platform, clarify the system regulations for clearly marked prices, improve the identification standards for unfair price behaviors, and optimize the provisions for the protection of consumer price rights and interests. At the same time, we again listened to the opinions of relevant enterprises and local governments, and further revised and improved the relevant provisions in accordance with the requirements of laws and regulations such as the Price Law, the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, and the Implementation Regulations of the Consumer Rights Protection Law.
In addition, the "Rules of Conduct" also emphasizes regulating the order of price competition. In accordance with current laws and regulations, we will refine and implement regulatory requirements to provide clear price behavior guidance for platform operators and operators within the platform, and promote the formation of a market order with high quality, low prices, and healthy competition.
In terms of protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, the "Rules of Conduct" implement a clear pricing system, promote the disclosure of dynamic pricing, differential pricing and other rules, standardize secret-free payment, automatic renewal, automatic deduction and other services, and better protect consumers' right to know and choose.
According to reports, the "Rules of Conduct" will be implemented from April 10, 2026, leaving necessary time for operators to adjust the regulations. The above three departments will organize major platform operators to conduct self-examinations against regulatory requirements one by one, including implementing regulations on regulating the price behavior of platform operators, improving institutional rules for operators within the platform, improving institutional rules for operators within the platform, and guiding relevant industry associations to take various measures to strengthen industry self-discipline.
