MediumChecked on every planEU · US
Countdown timer pressure
Are countdown timers on product pages a dark pattern?
Only if the deadline is fake. EU law bans false “limited time” claims, and the US FTC lists fake timers as a dark pattern. untick flags live timers so you can confirm the deadline is real and the same for everyone.
5%of 168 European shops did this (8)
No. 5most common medium problem in the study
Why it matters
Falsely claiming an offer ends soon is banned outright in the EU and is an FTC enforcement favourite. Timers that reset on reload are easy to catch.
How to fix it
- Only show timers for real deadlines that are the same for every visitor.
- Make sure the offer actually ends when the timer does.
- Remove evergreen or session-based timers.
The law behind this rule
EUEU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Annex I point 7: false “only for a very limited time” claims
USFTC Act §5: unfair or deceptive practices
A plain summary, not legal advice.