Acting on TINA.org Complaint, FTC Busts Williams-Sonoma, Again
Agency Obtains Record Penalty for False Made in USA Claims
MADISON, CONN., April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a complaint by ad watchdog truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org), Pottery Barn’s parent company Williams-Sonoma has agreed to pay more than $3 million for violating a 2020 FTC consent order requiring that the kitchenware and home goods retailer tell the truth about whether the products it sells are made in the USA. The agency said the civil penalty is “the largest ever in a Made in USA case.”
Last July, TINA.org filed a complaint with the FTC based on a tip from a consumer who purchased a Pottery Barn Teen mattress pad advertised online as “Crafted in America from domestic and imported materials.” The consumer said she bought the mattress pad specifically because she did not want one made in China. But as TINA.org independently verified, the mattress pad advertised as “Crafted in America” was labeled “Made in China” upon arrival.
“Williams-Sonoma was put on notice several years ago that it was deceiving consumers with misleading Made in USA marketing. We hope this recent action will send a strong message that there’s a price to pay for such deception,” said TINA.org Executive Director Bonnie Patten
The FTC found that Williams-Sonoma listed multiple products for sale, including the mattress pad, as being made in the USA when they were actually made in China and other countries. In addition to the record civil penalty, the settlement also requires Williams-Sonoma to submit annual compliance certifications and imposes a number of requirements about the claims the company makes.
This is not the first time the agency has acted on a TINA.org complaint about Williams-Sonoma’s made in the USA advertising. In May 2019, TINA.org sent its first complaint letter to the FTC urging it to take enforcement action against the California-based retailer after a TINA.org investigation found hundreds of products deceptively marketed as American-made on the e-commerce websites for various Williams-Sonoma brands, including Williams-Sonoma, West Elm and PBTeen.
In March 2020, the FTC announced a $1 million settlement with Williams-Sonoma over its unqualified U.S.-origin claims. The retailer also agreed at that time to stop making false, misleading or unsubstantiated made in the USA claims in the future.
TINA.org has investigated and taken action on deceptive made in the USA claims made by a number of companies, including BMW, New Balance, Walmart, Gillette and Mercedes-Benz. In addition, the consumer watchdog has tracked dozens of class-action lawsuits alleging deceptive made in USA claims.
To read more about Williams-Sonoma’s deceptive marketing see: https://truthinadvertising.org/brands/williams-sonoma/
Find out more about TINA.org’s work uncovering deceptive Made in USA claims here.
*About TINA.org (truthinadvertising.org) *
TINA.org is a nonprofit organization that uses investigative journalism, education, and advocacy to empower consumers to protect themselves against false advertising and deceptive marketing.
CONTACT: Shana Mueller
truthinadvertising.org
203-421-6210
smueller@truthinadvertising.org