Mom buys product she thought was U.S.-made, but warns of misleading labels
When Mary Schubart set out to buy bedding for her twins heading off to college, she was looking for products that were safe, provided comfort and, if possible, she wanted to buy American-made.
"I like the idea of buying to support the local economy, but my overriding concern was safer," Schubart said.
Schubart said she thought she found the perfect mattress pads from Pottery Barn Teen. It was advertised online as "crafted in the USA," but when they arrived, she was surprised to see one of the tags read "made in China."
"I knew it is one of the countries that has less stringent regulations pertaining to health and pertaining to final product production, so I was disappointed," she said.
Schubart reported her findings to Truth in Advertising, a nonprofit watchdog group that investigates when companies make false claims.
Laura Smith, the Truth in Advertising legal director, said they had already flagged false claims by Pottery Barn Teen to the Federal Trade Commission.
"We had found 800-plus examples of products marketed as 'made in the USA' or 'crafted in America' when they were actually imported," Smith said, of the merchandise found on seven William Sonoma websites in 2019.
Schubart's complaint led to the largest "Made in the USA" civil penalty in history, with more than $3 million against Williams Sonoma, the parent company of Pottery Barn Teen.
In a statement, Williams Sonoma apologized for what it called an "administrative mistake," saying, "Last year, we received an FTC fine due to an unintentional administrative mistake associated with the online product descriptions of seven items we sell. We are deeply sorry for any confusion that may have been caused by the inaccurate information that was shared, and we have improved our processes to help prevent similar incidents in the future."
"Civil penalties, as long as they're more than a slap on the wrist, they can have a real impact. But it needs to be a fine that's big enough to hurt," Smith said.
What qualifies as "Made in the USA?"
The Federal Trade Commission requires that products advertised as "Made in the USA" be all or virtually all manufactured domestically.
Plus, the ingredients or components must be made and sourced in the United States, which is the issue in a current lawsuit against Reynolds Aluminum foil for its "Made in the USA" label.
The suit claims the product's key raw material, Bauxite, is not mined in the U.S. Reynolds says the claims have no merit and it will defend the case.
How to know if a product is American-made
Amid Mr. Trump's tariffs on certain products, some companies have said they plan to invest more in U.S. manufacturing.
To verify if a product is "Made in the USA," check the label for that exact wording. Beware of qualifying language like "Assembled in the USA" or "with imported parts."
If you're unsure, consumers can verify with the brand by going to its website or calling directly.
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