Three Republican lawmakers urged the Federal Trade Commission to scrutinize Chinese companies making American flags falsely advertised as “Made in USA.”
The commission should use its enforcement powers to hold flag-makers accountable for misleading consumers, Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), and Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) said in a letter sent to the FTC on Nov. 1. The letter also asked the FTC to collaborate with online platforms to verify seller claims, citing examples of flags made in China that are advertised on e-commerce platforms like Amazon as “100% Made in USA.”
The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“This fraudulent behavior deceives American consumers seeking to show their patriotism, threatens our domestic flag industry, and undermines the integrity of the ‘Made in USA’ advertising and labeling,” the letter said.
- The FTC has been ramping up enforcement of “Made in USA” claims since it was empowered three years ago to impose new financial penalties on firms making inaccurate marketing claims.
- The effort coincides with a broader Biden administration push to promote US manufacturing.
- This year, the commission targeted companies including homeware giant Williams-Sonoma Inc. with a record $3.18 million penalty for falsely claiming its Pottery Barn Teen mattress pads were made in America.