Soon, Shops & Retailers in India Can No Longer Ask for Your Phone Number

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, with draft rules rolling out in 2025, will make it illegal for retailers or visitor systems to ask customers to share mobile numbers aloud. Consent must be explicit, informed, and time-bound. Businesses must offer alternatives like email or physical receipts, store numbers only up to three years, and are barred from reusing or selling data bringing India closer to GDPR-like privacy norms.