in the US, the Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to four companies who claim their consumer goods are of U.S. origin, reminding them to comply with the FTC’s Made in USA requirements. The FTC also sent letters to Amazon and Walmart regarding third-party sellers who appear to be making deceptive “Made in USA” claims about their products on those online marketplaces.
Throughout July, the FTC is highlighting the importance of the FTC’s “Made in USA” requirements to ensure that Americans can trust that products advertised or labeled as “Made in USA” are actually American-made.
‘Made in the USA’ is not just a slogan – it’s a sign that a product connects us to the workers and businesses that make America great. Consumers want to have confidence that when they buy something labelled ‘Made in the USA’ they are actually supporting American workers and the American economy. Companies that falsely claim their products are ‘Made in the USA’ can expect to hear from the FTC.
– Andrew N. Ferguson, Chairman, FTC
Products advertised as “Made in the USA” must be “all or virtually all” made in the United States. The letters sent to Amazon and Walmart identify third-party sellers who may be making deceptive U.S.-origin claims on those online marketplaces. In each letter, the FTC points out that such claims may violate the FTC Act and run afoul of the platform’s specific terms of service.
The image above shows a product live on Amazon at the time of writing, with the country of origin specified as “Made in USA and Imported“. It’s hard to understand how both halves of this declaration can be correct.
The letters ask Amazon and Walmart to monitor, identify, and take corrective action against third-party sellers who make false or misleading “Made in USA” claims on their respective marketplaces, while emphasising that the letters are not an assessment that Amazon and Walmart themselves have are in violation.
