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Last month, the Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) sent a lengthy warning letter to Nashoba Brook Bakery, a bakery based in Massachusetts, identifying a number of alleged violations of food regulations and labeling regulations.  One such allegation was that the bakery’s Nashoba Granola product improperly listed “love” as an ingredient on its label.  Specifically, the FDA alleged, “Your Nashoba Granola label lists ingredient ‘Love’.  Ingredients required to be declared on the label or labeling of food must be listed by their common or usual name [21 CFR 101.4(a)(1).  ‘Love’ is not a common or usual name of an ingredient, and is considered to be intervening material because it is not part of the common or usual name of the ingredient.”

The FDA’s love-related allegation has garnered some press both locally and nationally and is a good reminder regarding labeling regulations and the FDA’s enforcement authority.  Other FDA warning letters can be found here.

 

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) regulates dietary supplements as food, not as drugs.  In general, dietary supplements are taken orally and contain a dietary ingredient such as a vitamin, mineral, amino acid, herb, botanical, or other substance used to supplement the diet.  The FDA warns consumers that dietary supplements may be harmful, may contain hidden or deceptively-labeled ingredients, and are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or alleviate the effects of any disease.  In fact, the FDA has recalled numerous products containing potentially harmful ingredients.

Although federal law requires that dietary supplements be labeled as such (either as a “dietary supplement” or with “[ingredient description] supplement”) and that products be labeled correctly and advertised fairly, the FDA does not pre-approve dietary supplements or require that they be proven safe before they are marketed and sold.  Nor does the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) pre-approve any advertising related to dietary supplements.  As a result, there is no requirement that manufacturers/sellers prove that their products are safe or that all advertising claims are accurate before they market or sell the products.  Instead, it is the company’s responsibility to ensure product safety and truthful advertising, and the FDA and FTC only get involved after such products have already entered the market—with the FDA regulating safety issues and the FTC regulating advertising issues.

To bolster its ability to regulate such safety issues, the FDA requires that sellers of dietary supplements report any serious adverse events reported by consumers or health care professionals within 15 days of receipt and that the FDA monitor and investigate those reports.  Likewise, the FDA monitors and investigates any adverse event voluntarily reported by consumers or health care professionals and encourages such voluntary reports to be made directly to the FDA as soon as possible.

As always, manufacturers/sellers of dietary supplements should make sure that their products are safe, properly labeled, and advertised truthfully.  In addition, companies should make sure to report any serious adverse events to the FDA within the required time frame.

Moonlight Slumber, LLC, an Illinois company that advertised its baby mattresses as “organic,” has agreed to settle FTC charges that it misrepresented or could not support these and other claims to consumers.

The FTC’s administrative complaint alleged that in marketing and advertising its baby mattresses, Moonlight Slumber misrepresented a range of claims on its website and in its packaging.  For example, the complaint charged the company represented that two of its lines of its mattresses are “organic.”  According to the FTC, however, very little of the mattresses were made from organic material.

The proposed settlement order prohibits Moonlight Slumber from making misleading misleading representations regarding whether any mattress, blanket, pillow, pad, foam-containing product, or sleep-related product is “organic,” “natural,” or “plant-based,” among other things.  The order also requires the company to have competent and reliable evidence, including scientific evidence when appropriate, to support any claims in these areas.

This is the FTC’s first case challenging “organic” product claims, and could be a signal that more are to come.  Companies using this language to market or promote their products should take note and ensure that they can support any such claims.

When done correctly, sweepstakes and prize contests can be an effective tool for building brand awareness and gaining customers.  However, businesses that fail to abide by applicable statutes and regulations when using these promotional devices can suffer disastrous consequences, including civil enforcement actions, government inquiries, or even criminal penalties.

For instance, earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it had sent more than $532,000 in restitution payments to victims of a vacation prize scheme.  The scheme, conducted primarily by VGC Corp. of America between 2008 and 2011, involved a promotion offering expensive vacation packages to callers who correctly answered a simple trivia question.  All callers (regardless of whether they answered correctly) were told they had won the vacation package but had to pay an “administrative fee” before they could collect.  Callers were later informed of several limitations and restrictions to the offer, but only after they had already paid between $200 and $400 in fees.

This case serves as a reminder of the need for businesses that implement these kinds of marketing tactics to have at least a basic understanding of the statutory and regulatory framework.  A number of federal laws require that certain disclosures be “clear and conspicuous” in contest promotions, including but not limited to all rules and conditions of the promotion and the odds of winning any given prize.

Additional regulations may apply depending on the particular type of contest or giveaway at issue.  Promotions in which prizes are awarded to members of the public on the basis of skill or knowledge (“skill contests”), or where the gift or prize is available to all recipients who respond according to the companies’ instructions (“premium offers”), can typically require payment in order to participate.  However, promotions that award prizes to consumers by pure chance (“sweepstakes”) cannot require payment of any kind, as whenever a sweepstakes-style contest requires a payment, it risks crossing the line into an illegal lottery.

Any businesses considering implementing these kinds of promotional devices should take the time to understand these distinctions and abide by all disclosure requirements.  If the past is any indication, the FTC and other federal agencies will continue their strict enforcement of these rules.

The Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) regulates cancer drugs and devices, both for use by humans and pets. Such drugs and devices must obtain FDA approval or clearance before they can be marketed or sold to consumers, so that the FDA can ensure each product is safe and effective for its intended use. The FDA is concerned about the marketing and selling of products that have not been approved, particularly because such products may contain dangerous ingredients or may cause harm by negatively impacting beneficial treatments. Often such products are advertised as “natural” or are labeled as a dietary supplement, which may be a tip-off to consumers that the products have not been approved by the FDA.

cancer pic
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The FDA has identified the following advertising phrases as “red flags” that may signify a fraudulent product:

  • Treats all forms of cancer
  • Miraculously kills cancer cells and tumors
  • Shrinks malignant tumors
  • Selectively kills cancer cells
  • More effective than chemotherapy
  • Attacks cancer cells, leaving healthy cells intact
  • Cures cancer

Additionally, the FDA has stated that the following catch phrases should tip-off consumers to a potentially bogus health-related product:

  • One product does it all
  • Personal testimonials
  • Quick fixes
  • “All natural”
  • “Miracle cure”
  • Conspiracy theories

In April, the FDA sent 14 warning letters to companies that it determined were making fraudulent claims on their websites related to purported cancer treatments. Fraudulent claims are those that deceptively promote a product as effective against a specific condition—in this instance, cancer—that has not been scientifically proven to be safe and effective for its claimed purposed. According to the FDA, if the companies to which it sent letters do not comply with its warnings, the FDA may take further legal action in order to ensure that such products do not reach consumers.

The FDA requests that consumers avoid use of potentially unsafe or unproven products and to discuss any cancer treatments with their healthcare providers (or, in the case of pets, with their veterinarian and veterinary oncologist). As always, companies that market or sell products requiring FDA approval should ensure that such products are fairly advertised, are properly labeled, are effective and safe for their intended use, and are indeed approved as required.

 

On May 15, 2017, the FTC filed a Complaint in Federal Court against Strategic Student Solutions and a number of related companies that claim to provide debt relief services. According to the Complaint, rather than providing the advertised services, the defendants pocketed thousands of dollars in fees from consumers without providing any debt relief services. In essence, despite promising to reduce or eliminate student debt, the defendants simply took consumers’ money without providing any debt reduction service, leaving consumers in a worse financial situation. The Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida recently granted the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction preventing the defendants from engaging in these business practices.

According to the Complaint, the defendants targeted consumers struggling with student loan debt and charged consumers up to $1200 in initial fees and an additional $49.99 per month with the promise that defendants would enroll the consumer in a loan forgiveness or payment reduction program. The defendants also allegedly promised that they would apply any fees paid to them to the consumers’ debt in the loan forgiveness program and that if consumers simply made monthly payments to defendants for three years the loan would be forgiven. According to the FTC, none of this was true—other than the fees paid by consumers to defendants. In fact, rather than forgiveness or reduction, many consumers allegedly had their debt increase while using defendants’ “services.” And when a consumer attempted to cancel their participation in the defendants’ program, the defendants allegedly lied to consumers by stating if they cancel, they will not be able to enroll in a different loan forgiveness program.

After making these false promises, according to the Complaint, the defendants had consumers sign contracts with disclaimers contradicting the sales pitch. For example, the contracts stated “I understand that the fees paid to Strategic Student Solutions is [sic] for Document preparation and consultation services only and will not be applied to my student loan balance.” However, as detailed previously on this blog, the FTC does not give much weight to disclaimers buried in a contract, especially where it is directly contrary to explicit advertising claims.

The FTC alleges that defendants’ scheme violated the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the Credit Repair Organizations Act and is seeking restitution for the money taken from consumers and a permanent injunction ceasing defendants’ scheme.

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recently filed a Complaint in the Southern District of California against six entities and four individuals, accusing them of deceiving customers with their use of “free” and “risk-free” trial period advertising related to cooking products, golf-related products, and online subscription services on their websites, in TV infomercials, and via email.

risk-free trial offer
Copyright: kchung / 123RF Stock Photo

The FTC’s Complaint alleges that the defendants violated section 5(a) of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts, by misrepresenting the trial offers applicable to their products.  Specifically, the FTC accuses the defendants of advertising their products as having a “risk-free” trial period when, in reality, the consumers are required to return the product at their expense before the trial period ends in order to avoid being charged additional amounts for the product.  The FTC also accuses the defendants of failing to adequately disclose the material terms and conditions of the trial offer, of their continuity/subscription plan offers, and of their refund and cancellation policy.  For example, the FTC takes issue with the defendants’ failure to clearly disclose that they would start charging the consumer if he/she did not cancel the trial period or return the product.

In addition to violations of the FTC Act, the FTC’s Complaint also alleges violations of the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (“ROSCA”).  The FTC describes ROSCA as an act that “prohibits any post-transaction third party seller (a seller who markets goods or services online through an initial merchant after a consumer has initiated a transaction with that merchant) from charging any financial account in an Internet transaction unless it has disclosed clearly all material terms of the transaction and obtained the consumer’s express informed consent to the charge.”  The FTC’s Complaint against the defendants focuses on section 4 of ROSCA, which prohibits the sale of products through an improper “negative option” feature.  A “negative option” feature is a provision in an offer to sell goods or services under which the consumer’s silence is taken as an acceptance of the offer.  It is improper to utilize a “negative option” feature unless the seller satisfies the following requirements: (1) clearly and conspicuously disclose all material terms of the transaction before obtaining the consumer’s billing information, (2) obtain the consumer’s express written consent before charging the consumer, and (3) provide a simple mechanism for the consumer to stop recurring charges.  The FTC’s Complaint alleges that, in violation of section 4 of ROSCA, the defendants did not meet any of those three requirements with respect to their cooking and golf-related goods and services.

The FTC seeks an injunction preventing future violations of the FTC Act and ROSCA as well as other relief necessary to redress injury to consumers.  It is clear that the FTC looks closely at advertisements claiming to offer “free” and “risk-free” trial periods and that companies should make sure to adhere to the FTC’s and ROSCA’s requirements.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) requests that consumers report any issues they experience with FDA-regulated products so that the FDA can further protect the public health. But it isn’t always clear which products the FDA regulates and which products it doesn’t. Generally, the FDA regulates the following product categories: certain foods, drugs, biologics, medical devices, electronic products that give off radiation, cosmetics, veterinary products, and tobacco products. Within each category is a number of products subject to the FDA’s regulatory authority. A more detailed, though non-exhaustive, list of the products the FDA regulates can be found on the FDA’s website. According to the FDA, these products account for about one-fifth of annual spending by U.S. consumers.

FDA
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The FDA is committed to ensuring that the products it regulates are safe, effective, and correctly labeled. But the FDA does not pre-approve for safety and effectiveness all of the products it regulates before such products can be marketed and sold. For example, the FDA does pre-approve new drugs, biologics, and certain medical devices, but does not pre-approve cosmetics (with the exception of certain color additives) or dietary supplements (though a notification is required for those containing a new dietary ingredient). However, the FDA requires that cosmetics, dietary supplements, and other products be safe for their intended use and be properly labeled/advertised. Accordingly, for such products that the FDA does not pre-approve, the FDA still has regulatory authority to take action when a safety issue arises. With respect to tobacco products, the FDA does not regulate safety in the same way as with other products, as the FDA views tobacco use as a major threat to public health. Notably, last year, the FDA finalized a new rule extending its regulatory authority to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, and restricting youth access to such products.

As always, companies should ensure that they products they market and sell are safe for their intended use, are properly labeled, and are fairly advertised. One form of advertising that has caught the FDA’s attention is the phrase “FDA Approved.” The FDA’s recently-updated explanation on what it does and doesn’t approve (and under what circumstances) can be found on the FDA’s website. The FDA’s website also contains detailed information for companies that market and sell FDA-regulated products, including the ability to search for guidance documents that describe the FDA’s interpretation on various regulatory issues and the ability to submit questions regarding the FDA’s policies, regulations, and regulatory process.

Last week the FTC issued three letters closing three separate investigations of advertising practices by three different businesses. The letters are notable for the two common themes present in each. First, each investigation centered on allegedly unsupported “Made in the USA” claims, demonstrating the FTC’s continued vigilance on this issue–a point that has been the topic of past posts. Second, each investigation was closed without further action due to, at least in part, the advertisers’ willingness to cooperate and take remedial action to change is advertising practices.

Made in the USA Banner
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These investigations demonstrate that the FTC will continue to enforce its rules regarding “Made in the USA” claims. According to the FTC, a blanket, unqualified claim that a product is “Made in USA” is likely to suggest to consumers that the product was “all or virtually all” made in the United States. So the FTC will hold an advertiser to that standard. In fact, the FTC stated in its Enforcement Policy Statement on the matter (as we blogged about here) that if “a product is not all or virtually all made in the United States, any claim of U.S. origin should be adequately qualified to avoid consumer deception about the presence or amount of foreign content.” And as the recently closed enforcement investigations show, if some of your products are made in the USA, but some are not, the advertising should be clear as to which ones are made here and which ones are imported.

These now-closed investigations also demonstrate an important practical point in dealing with the FTC. In each of these investigations, the advertiser cooperated and agreed to take remedial action, including altering the advertising at issue, training employees regarding the proper and substantiated advertising claims, and taking steps to clear the marketplace of the prior claims. This demonstrates that cooperating with the FTC’s investigation and coming to an agreement on revised advertising could be the most effective route in dealing with an FTC investigation in some circumstances.

 

Made in the USA Banner
Copyright: lifeking / 123RF Stock Photo

In the last two months, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has reached two settlements related to complaints it initiated against companies regarding “Made in the USA” advertising claims.

First, in February, the FTC announced that it had reached a settlement with a Georgia-based water filtration systems company named iSpring Water Systems, LLC.  According to the FTC, iSpring advertised its water filtration systems on its website and through third parties as “Built in USA” (and other similar claims).  The FTC found such advertising false or misleading because the water filtration systems were either entirely imported or contained significant parts that had been imported, thus violating the FTC’s long-standing requirement that “all or virtually all” of the product be made in the USA in order to be advertised as such.  The settlement allows iSpring to make certain qualified claims, with a clear and conspicuous disclosure, but prohibits iSpring from advertising contrary to the FTC’s “all or virtually all” requirement.  More information regarding the settlement is available on the FTC’s blog.

Second, earlier this month, the FTC announced that it had reached a settlement with a Texas-based pulley company named Block Division, Inc.  According to the FTC, Block Division advertised its pulleys in various media using “Made in USA” text and graphics.  The FTC found such advertising misleading given that the pulleys had significant and essential parts that had been imported.  Further, some of the pulleys contained steel plates stamped as “Made in USA” before they were imported.  The settlement allows Block Division to make certain qualified claims, again with a clear and conspicuous disclosure, but prohibits Block Division from advertising contrary to the FTC’s “all or virtually all” requirement.  More information regarding the settlement is available on the FTC’s blog.

Both of these FTC actions and resulting settlements demonstrate that the FTC takes “Made in the USA” claims seriously and will enforce its requirements regarding such advertising.  A prior blog post outlines those requirements in more detail.