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ARTICLE · 23 FEBRUARY 2017

FTC Requires That iSpring's "Built In USA" Claims Hold Water

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On February 1, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") and iSpring Water Systems, LLC ("iSpring") reached a settlement regarding its false, misleading, and unsupported claims...

United StatesConsumer Protection
Theodore Max
Theodore Max
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On February 1, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") and iSpring Water Systems, LLC ("iSpring") reached a settlement regarding its false, misleading, and unsupported claims that its water filtration systems and parts are "Built in USA," "Built in USA Legendary brand of water filter," and "Proudly Built in the USA."

In the FTC complaint against iSpring,1 the FTC claimed that iSpring's products either are wholly imported or made using a significant amount of inputs from overseas.  In discussing the settlement, the Acting FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen stated:  "If a product is advertised or labeled as 'made' or 'built' in the USA, consumers rightly expect that to be the case when they part with their hard-earned money."  The vote to issue the complaint and accept the proposed consent order was 3-0.2

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