Abstract:
As in many nations, the evolution of e-commerce in Sri Lanka has created new
opportunities for trade, innovation, and inclusion, but also new risks for
consumers, including fraud, data breaches, and a lack of mechanisms to seek
redress. The current Legal framework for consumer law is fragmented and
confusing, and the laws themselves do not adequately address electronic
transactions, cross-border enforcement, and digital consumer rights.
Consumer rights in Sri Lanka are embedded in a slow, disordered system,
unlike in countries like the UK, Singapore, or Malaysia, where they are
ingrained in law, enforcement, and technology. The research examines how Sri
Lanka’s laws on electronic contracts and e-consumer rights can be enhanced
to meet the demands of a modern digital marketplace. Through a doctrinal and
comparative approach, the study examines Sri Lanka’s domestic law and case
law, alongside international best practices, and explores the potential of
mechanisms such as Online Dispute Resolution and secure payment systems
to enhance consumer welfare. This highlights how gaps in legal and
institutional frameworks create significant challenges, undermining
consumer confidence and hampering the development of the national digital
economy. Therefore, the study calls for a separate E-Commerce Consumer
Protection Act to rationalize modern laws with a view to augmenting
enforceability capacity as well as to pave a way for a safe, inclusive, and
competitive digital market that facilitates sustainable economic development
and consumer confidence, which is essential to be attained in the digital world
