Netbrands Wristbands and Other Customized Products
FTC publishes first closing letters since Made in USA Labeling Rule went into effect in August.
The sun sets on company's unqualified Made in the USA claims following FTC inquiry.
Suntactics says its portable solar chargers are “designed, assembled, and supported” in the good ol’ U.S. of A. So that means they’re Made in the USA, right? Nope.
The truth is Suntactics’ products contain imported parts and the company acknowledges this:
We admit, we are forced to use some foreign components because some of our components are not available in the USA, unfortunately.
Yet it wasn’t too long ago that the company claimed on its website that all of its products under the sun were “Proudly Made in the USA.” That was before the FTC opened an inquiry into Suntactics’ Made in the USA marketing. In its inquiry, the agency informed the company of its Made in the USA standard, which states in part that products marketed with an unqualified Made in the USA claim must be “all or virtually all” made here.
To close out the inquiry, the FTC said:
…Suntactics implemented a remedial action plan to clarify its representations by clearly and prominently qualifying all of its U.S.-origin claims on marketing materials and product labels.
Hence the change from “Proudly Made in the USA” to “Designed Assembled [and] Supported in the USA” on the top of the company’s homepage:
Find more of our coverage on Made in the USA claims here.
Our Ad Alerts are not just about false and deceptive marketing issues, but may also be about ads that, although not necessarily deceptive, should be viewed with caution. Ad Alerts can also be about single issues and may not include a comprehensive list of all marketing issues relating to the brand discussed.
FTC publishes first closing letters since Made in USA Labeling Rule went into effect in August.
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