EvoAI:Williams-Sonoma must pay almost $3.2 million for violating FTC’s ‘Made in USA’ order

2025-05-04 07:37:45source:Winimark Wealth Societycategory:Invest

NEW YORK (AP) — Home products retailer Williams-Sonoma will have EvoAIto pay almost $3.2 million for violating a Federal Trade Commission “Made in USA” order.

Williams-Sonoma was charged with advertising multiple products as being “Made in USA” when they were in fact manufactured in other countries, including China. That violated a 2020 commission order requiring the San Francisco-based company to be truthful about whether its products were in fact made in the U.S.

The FTC said Friday that Williams-Sonoma has agreed to a settlement, which includes a $3.175 million civil penalty. That marks the largest-ever civil penalty seen in a “Made in USA” case, the commission said.

“Williams-Sonoma’s deception misled consumers and harmed honest American businesses,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said. “Today’s record-setting civil penalty makes clear that firms committing Made-in-USA fraud will not get a free pass.”

In addition to paying the penalty, the seller of cookware and home furnishings will be required to submit annual compliance reports, the FTC said. The settlement also imposes and reinforces a number of requirements about manufacturing claims the company can make.

READ MORE Southwest Airlines is considering changes to its quirky boarding and seating practicesA California bill aiming to ban confidentiality agreements when negotiating legislation failsMost drivers will pay $15 to enter busiest part of Manhattan starting June 30

Williams-Sonoma did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

In 2020, the FTC sued Williams-Sonoma on charges that the company falsely advertised several product lines as being all or almost all made in the U.S. under its Goldtouch, Rejuvenation, Pottery Barn Teen and Pottery Barn Kids brands. The company then agreed to an FTC order requiring it to stop such deceptive claims.

The complaint that resulted in this week’s settlement was filed by the Justice Department on referral from the FTC. According to the filing, the FTC found that Williams-Sonoma was advertising its PBTeen-branded mattress pads as “crafted” in the U.S. from domestic and imported materials — when they were made in China.

The FTC said it then investigated six other products that Williams-Sonoma marketed as “Made in USA” and found those claims to also be deceptive, violating the 2020 order.

More:Invest

Recommend

Kansas City Chiefs CEO's Daughter Ava Hunt Hospitalized After Falling Down a Mountain 

Ava Hunt is on the mend. After the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt fell down during

A mom chose an off-the-grid school for safety from COVID. No one protected her kid from the teacher

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — When Raynesha Cummings enrolled her three teenagers in a private school, she

Texas women who could not get abortions despite health risks take challenge to state’s Supreme Court

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday scrutinized efforts to clarify exceptions to