FTC says company doesn’t stand behind ‘organic’ mattress claims

Moms and dads want the best for their babies, so some companies use adjectives like “organic” or “natural” in their ads for baby products. Illinois-based Moonlight Slumber uses these terms to sell its crib mattresses online and at some of the country’s largest retailers. But when it came to backing up its mattress claims with proper support, the company fell asleep on the switch, according to a complaint from the Federal Trade Commission.

In ads for its Starlight Simplicity and Little Star mattresses, Moonlight Slumber describes the products as “organic” and “a safe, organic alternative to traditional crib mattresses” with a “natural latex core.” The company says other mattresses it sells are made from “BabySafe natural materials,” including “eco-friendly plant-based foam.” The company also claims that testing proved “the absence of VOCs (volatile organic compounds, commonly known as ‘off-gassing’).”

“Moonlight Sleep” advises parents that they don’t have to just take their word for it. According to the company’s prominently displayed logo, its products feature a “Green Safety Shield.”

Organic and natural? Will it not emit VOCs? Proven by testing? Carrying a green safety shield? On a parent’s shopping list is check, check, check, check. But according to the FTC, these claims are deceptive, deceptive, deceptive, deceptive.

The complaint alleges that the vast majority of ingredients in Starlight Simplicity and Little Star mattresses are not organic. The core material and fireproof layer are completely free of organic ingredients, and the cotton covering is 70% non-organic. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission, the only purely organic ingredient is mattress ribbon, which is a minor decorative ingredient.

What’s more, most of the company’s mattress cores are made entirely or primarily from polyurethane, an unnatural material made from isocyanates and polyols derived from petrochemicals. Despite Moonlight Slumber’s advertising claims, the Little Star mattress’s latex core is synthetic, not natural, while the other six mattress styles contain virtually no plant-based material. The FTC also claims that the company has no reliable scientific basis to support claims that its products do not emit substances such as volatile organic compounds. So what if Moonlight Slumber claims to have conducted tests to back up that promise? The Federal Trade Commission says that’s wrong.

Who granted the “green safety shield” to Moonlight’s sleep? The company awards the seal to itself.

The proposed order prohibits numerous misrepresentations about whether a product is organic, natural, plant-based, emission-free, or free of volatile organic compounds. It also requires appropriate evidence to test claims and claims about other environmental and health benefits. Additionally, the order eliminates misleading certifications and requires companies to clearly disclose when they have a material connection to an endorser. The FTC is accepting public comments on the proposed settlement until October 30, 2017.

This case provides two key points for companies that want peace of mind about meeting their certification obligations.

Consumers will not readily accept deceptive organic claims. Advertisers must substantiate their organic claims. The USDA’s National Organic Program sets standards for organically produced agricultural products. For other product categories not covered by the National Organic Program, long-standing FTC certification principles apply. Advertisers must have a reasonable basis for claiming that non-agricultural products (such as mattresses) are “organic.” FTC and USDA staff and various stakeholders discussed these issues at a roundtable on consumer perceptions of organic products held in October 2016.

Signing, sealing, and delivering the seal yourself is risky. The duckbill mirror shot was once our least favorite form of selfie, but we have a new cellar dweller: companies granting their own seals or certifications without a clear explanation to consumers. As established by the FTC’s Green Guidelines and dozens of enforcement actions, there is particular concern when misleading certifications appear to provide an independent, authoritative A-OK for health, safety or environmental claims that consumers cannot evaluate for themselves. . If your ads carry your own designated seal or certification, make this fully clear to consumers.

Source link

from Tech Empire Solutions https://techempiresolutions.com/ftc-says-company-doesnt-stand-behind-organic-mattress-claims/
via https://techempiresolutions.com/

from Tech Empire Solutions https://techempiresolutions.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/ftc-says-company-doesnt-stand-behind-organic-mattress-claims/
via https://techempiresolutions.com/

from Mary Ashley https://maryashle.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/ftc-says-company-doesnt-stand-behind-organic-mattress-claims/
via https://techempiresolutions.com/