FTC Repeals Its Leather Belt Rule

The Federal Trade Commission has repealed its Leather Belt Rule, based on plans to replace the rule and other FTC regulations pertaining to individual leather products with consolidated guidelines for a variety of leather and imitation leather products. This is a part of the FTC’s overall effort to review all of its guidelines and rules, and to rescind those that are obsolete, no longer useful, or duplicative. This is the seventh Trade Regulation Rule the Commission has repealed in the last six months.

In repealing the rule, the FTC said the consolidated guides will cover the marketing and advertising of belts. Although guides, unlike rules, are not themselves enforceable, the Commission will address any misrepresentations case by case through enforcement action under the FTC Act against the marketer.

The Commission vote to repeal the rule was 5-0. A notice announcing the repeal is published in today’s Federal Register.

Copies of the Federal Register notice, as well as an Aug. 2, 1995 news release describing the proposed consolidated guides in more detail, are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov

(FTC Matter No. R511037)

(Leather4)