The Federal Trade Commission announced on January 18, 2023 an action against Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex kitchen products, for claiming its glass measuring cups were made in the USA while some were imported from China.
What the FTC alleged
- Demand for measuring cups spiked during the COVID-19 home-baking boom. From March 2021 to May 2022, Instant Brands made some Pyrex cups in China.
- The company kept marketing those cups on Amazon as “Made in USA,” even though the cups themselves were marked “Made in China.”
- It also kept up broader claims about its “made in the USA heritage” and that its products were “American as Apple Pie.”
- More than 110,000 China-made measuring cup sets were sold to USA shoppers as Made in USA.
The proposed order
- No unqualified USA-origin claims unless final assembly and all significant processing happen in the USA and all or virtually all parts are made and sourced here.
- Qualified claims must clearly disclose foreign parts or processing; “Assembled in USA” claims must meet the FTC’s substantial-transformation test.
- Instant Brands must pay a $129,416 monetary judgment.
“If marketers move their manufacturing outside the United States, even temporarily, they must update their advertising to make it accurate.”
Samuel Levine, Director, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection
The Commission voted 4-0 to accept the consent agreement, which was published for public comment before becoming final.
FAQ
What did Pyrex’s maker do wrong?
The FTC said it sold China-made measuring cups on Amazon as Made in USA.
How many units?
More than 110,000 sets.
What is the penalty?
A $129,416 judgment plus limits on future origin claims.
Source & credit
Source: Federal Trade Commission, January 18, 2023: “FTC Order Requires Pyrex Glass Manufacturer to Pay for Falsely Claiming Chinese Products Were Made in USA”.