Bureau of Consumer Protection process reforms announced
By: Lesley Fair | Jul 17, 2017 2:01PM
Our job at the Bureau of Consumer Protection is to protect consumers by enforcing the FTC Act’s prohibition on deceptive and unfair practices. It’s important that we carry out that mission effectively and efficiently.
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By: Lesley Fair | Jun 23, 2017 10:48AM
TVs, textiles, appliances, and spam. That may sound like an eclectic shopping list at a big box retailer, but they’re clues to an FTC development you and your clients should know about.
They’re all categories affected by four rules the FTC is putting under the regulatory microscope: the Picture Tube Rule, the Textile Rules, the Energy Labeling Rule, and the CAN-SPAM Rule.
New FTC website helps small businesses
By: Tom Pahl, Acting Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection | May 9, 2017 11:24AM
When scammers and hackers attack small businesses, it hurts not only the businesses’ reputations and bottom line, but also the integrity of the marketplace. Today, FTC Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen announced a new FTC website, FTC.gov/SmallBusiness, to help business owners avoid scams, protect their computers and networks, and keep their customers’ and employees’ data safe.
Civil penalties undergo inflation recalculation
By: Lesley Fair | Jun 29, 2016 12:17PM
If you’d like details about how the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act was amended to recalculate penalties using a formula based on the percentage by which the Department of Labor’s October 2015 Consumer Price Index exceeds the Index for October in the year in which the penalty was enacted or last adjusted by law, the FTC has issued a Federal Register Notice explaining it.
Continue Reading Civil penalties undergo inflation recalculation
By: Lesley Fair | Jun 21, 2016 12:14PM
Spoiler alert: If the villains in a thriller appear to be vanquished with 20 minutes left in the movie, you can bet they’ll make a dramatic reappearance. A case filed by the FTC targets a B2B tactic that small businesses started seeing years ago, but – to quote Poltergeist II – “They’re ba-ack.” And the defendants in the sequel have added what the FTC says is a bogus imposter angle.
FTC’s Lord & Taylor case: In native advertising, clear disclosure is always in style
By: Lesley Fair | Mar 15, 2016 8:37AM
It’s a fetching frock with spaghetti straps, an engineered paisley print, and an asymmetrical hemline.
Clothes by any other name: FTC challenges retailers’ “bamboo” claims
By: Lesley Fair | Dec 9, 2015 11:16AM
Maybe “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” but deceptively describing rayon clothing as bamboo isn’t so sweet – and violates the FTC’s Textile Rules. In addition to civil penalties totaling $1.3 million, settlements with Bed Bath & Beyond, Nordstrom, J.C. Penney Company, and Backcountry.com suggest another important point for industry members: Don’t ignore warnings about deceptive ads and misleading labels.
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Elemental lessons from FTC’s Tommie Copper case
By: Lesley Fair | Dec 1, 2015 10:02AM
On the Periodic Table of Elements, copper is designated as CU. The FTC’s lawsuit against Tommie Copper, Inc., the seller of copper-infused compression wear, suggests it may be time to conduct a periodic check of the elements in your ads to C that U have proof to back up your claims.
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Made in USA claims: Three cheers for the said right and true
By: Julia Solomon Ensor and Lesley Fair | Nov 2, 2015 10:11AM
Two products sit side by side on the store shelf, but only one says “Made in USA.” For many consumers, that’s an important consideration in deciding what to buy. That’s why the FTC wants to make sure companies’ Made in USA claims – like all objective product representations – are true and backed by appropriate evidence. We asked FTC attorney Julia Ensor some of the questions we’ve heard from businesses about Made in USA claims.
Does my company have to disclose U.S. content on products we sell in the United States?
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Members of the fur industry: Today’s the day
By: Robert Frisby | Nov 19, 2014 3:37PM
If you manufacture, import or sell garments containing fur, November 19th should be circled on your calendar. That’s because today’s the day amendments to the FTC’s Fur Rule take effect. Looking for help with compliance? The FTC has published How to Comply with the Fur Products Labeling Act, updated guidance on keeping your practices within the law.
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FTC Milestones: Shared beginnings in the Circle Cilk case
By: Lesley Fair | Nov 6, 2014 2:26PM
In celebration of the FTC’s 100th anniversary, we’ve been examining the leaves on our family tree. The FTC’s founding is often associated with turn-of-the-century trust busting, but a closer look – including a study of the very first case published in Volume 1 of Federal Trade Commission Decisions – proves that the intertwined roots of consumer protection and competition run deep. That’s one of the themes of the FTC@100 Symposium on Friday, November 7, 2014.
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Shape up your shapewear claims
By: Lesley Fair | Sep 29, 2014 12:07PM
We can’t vouch for the accuracy of Shakira’s representation that “Hips Don’t Lie.” But the FTC says anti-cellulite and slimming claims for caffeine-embedded underwear sold by lingerie company Wacoal and catalog retailer Norm Thompson were deceptive. As for Norm Thompson's statement that Dr. Oz endorsed its products, the complaint challenges that as false.
Has your company taken this selfie lately?
By: Lesley Fair | May 9, 2014 12:39PM
The company name may be American Apparel, but commerce is global, especially in the fashion industry. If a business says it abides by the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor for transferring consumer data, companies have an obligation to live up to that promise. American Apparel, the popular clothing retailer, is the latest company to be the subject of FTC law enforcement for claiming it was in compliance with the framework, but failing to conduct the required annual self-cer
By: Robert Frisby | May 5, 2014 4:58PM
If your business involves textiles, you’re familiar with the requirements of the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and the FTC’s accompanying Rules. But are you in the loop on changes that take effect today – May 5, 2014 – that could give you more flexibility with compliance? In addition to reviewing the revised Rules, you’ll want to read the FTC’s updated publication, Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts, to
By: Lesley Fair | Feb 12, 2014 4:07PM
Usually when someone says “keep it under your hat,” they’re asking you to keep information confidential. But when the FTC staff says “keep it under your hat” – and the hat in question is made of wool – we mean the exact opposite. To us, it’s a reminder to marketers that hats containing wool must have labels that clearly disclose what the product is made of.
Made in USA? Avoiding a Yankee Doodle Don't
By: Lesley Fair | Oct 21, 2013 11:17AM
There are lots of nifty phone accessories, bottle holders, tow straps, pet items, and lanyards out there. So a label that says the product is Made in the USA may help make the decision for some consumers. When it bears the American flag and says “TRULY MADE IN THE USA,” that just might seal the deal. But according to an FTC lawsuit, a lot of the “Made in the USA” merchandise touted by Logan, Utah-based E.K.
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FTC to mattress companies: Don't pad your green claims
By: Lesley Fair | Jul 25, 2013 11:08AM
If you or your clients make environmental marketing claims, don’t sleep on three actions the FTC just announced against companies that sell mattresses. What's more, the pleadings in one case offer insights into a course of conduct advertisers should avoid in the use of seals and certifications.
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It'll all come out in the wash
By: Lesley Fair | Jul 24, 2013 12:03PM
Maybe you can’t tell from looking at us, but the FTC is very label-conscious. No, not in that red carpet “Who are you wearing?” way. We’re more concerned that apparel and other products covered by the Care Labeling Rule give consumers accurate cleaning instructions. Fashionistas, take note because the FTC just announced a one-day roundtable on October 1, 2013, to talk over proposed changes to the Rule.
By: Matt Wilshire | Jul 19, 2013 12:18PM
Most people are familiar with labels in clothing and other textile products that name the fabric and explain how to clean it. But look a little closer and you may spot the prefix RN followed by a series of digits. If you’re in the textile business, those are important numbers to know.
Possible changes loom for FTC's Textile Rules
By: Robert Frisby and Amanda Kostner | May 22, 2013 11:27AM
Never let it be said that the FTC doesn’t have your back — or sleeve, cuff, waistband, or wherever else you find the label that discloses the kind of fabric a product is made of. If your business touches on textiles, you’re familiar with the requirements of the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and the FTC’s accompanying Textile Rules. Are you in the loop o
Continue Reading Possible changes loom for FTC's Textile Rules
