Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ADVERTISING NEWS: FTC planning to study consumer perceptions of environmental claims, (Mar 25, 2014)
Organizations Mentioned:ECM Biofilms, Inc.
By Jeffrey May, J.D.
The FTC is looking for input on a planned study to examine consumer perception of environmental marketing claims, such as “environmentally friendly” and “organic” claims. The FTC could use the results of the study to propose revisions to its Green Guides, which were last updated in 2012. The Guides outline general principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims and provide guidance regarding specific categories of such claims.
Today, the FTC published a Federal Register notice, asking for public comments on its proposed research before requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review of, and clearance for, the collection of information. The FTC plans to conduct Internet-based consumer research to explore consumer perceptions of certain environmental marketing claims to enhance the Commission’s understanding of how consumers interpret claims, such as “organic” and “pre-consumer recycled content.” The proposed study will compare participant responses regarding the meaning of such environmental marketing claims across different product variations, according to the notice.
Comments must be received on or before May 27, 2014. Interested parties may file a comment online at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/organicstudypra. Comments in paper form, labeled “Green Marketing Consumer Perception Study, Project No. P954501,” can also be delivered to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-113 (Annex J), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
The proposal to conduct the study comes as the FTC is pursuing an administrative action against ECM Biofilms, Inc., over its environmental claims for a plastics additive, marketed under the name MasterBatch Pellets. The Part 3 administrative complaint was brought last October along with five other enforcement actions against companies that allegedly made false and misleading environmental claims in their marketing. The FTC’s case against ECM is scheduled to be heard before an administrative judge this summer. The other cases were settled under consent orders.
Companies: ECM Biofilms, Inc.
News: ConsumerProtection Advertising FederalTradeCommissionNews