Wow!
Companies Falsely Labeled Products ‘Made in U.S.A.’ Their Financial Penalty? $0
By Annie Karni
March 5, 2019
WASHINGTON — Patriot Puck, a New York-based company, wrapped its hockey pucks in American flags, declaring them “The Only American Made Hockey Puck!”
The mattress firm Nectar Sleep, founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, promoted their mattresses as “designed and assembled in the U.S.A.”
Two California-based manufacturers of deployment bags, tactical gear and other merchandise marketed to active and retired American military personnel sold the products online as #MadeInUSA, and inserted “American Made” tags into its products.
In reality, most of the products were manufactured entirely in China, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Last fall, the F.T.C. determined that all four companies had violated federal law by engaging in “unfair or deceptive acts” and falsely marketing their goods as American-made.
But while President Trump has accused China of destroying American jobs and prioritized strengthening United States manufacturing, his appointees at the F.T.C. did little to punish the firms.
The companies faced no fines and were not required to admit any wrongdoing or to notify customers of their false marketing.
The trade commission entered into proposed consent agreements with each firm barring them from falsely marketing their products with the threat of fines if they violated the agreement. A final decision on the penalties is expected in the coming weeks after a public comment period ends.
The trade commission’s treatment of the companies has angered Democratic lawmakers, who are urging the Trump administration to pursue tougher punishments for companies that profited by producing products in China and falsely labeling them as American-made.
more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/05/us/politics/made-in-the-usa-ftc.html
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