CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Chemence Inc., alleging the company deceives consumers by using "Made in USA" advertising for products that use a significant amount of imported chemicals.
Chemence Inc. is an Ohio corporation that produces strong, fast-acting glues such as Kwik Frame, Kwik Fix and Krylex.
“For many shoppers, a claim that a product is made in the U.S.A. is a big selling point,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said. “Companies should not overstate the amount of U.S. content their products actually contain.”
Chemence tells consumers that its cyanoacrylate glue products are all made in America. The FTC alleges, however, this is not entirely true as approximately 55 percent of the costs of chemicals can be attributed to imported chemicals essential to the glues’ function. The FTC charges because of this, the "Made in USA" claims are deceptive.
The FTC further alleges Chemence distributes its "Made in USA" marketing materials to private label sellers and other retailers. The agency alleges this act helps others deceive consumers.