Williams-Sonoma, a home products retailer, faces a nearly $3.2 million penalty for labeling some of its products as “Made in USA” when they were not.
The FTC accused Williams-Sonoma of misleading consumers by advertising several products as “Made in USA” when they were actually manufactured in other countries, including China.
Company Violated 2020 Order
The FTC said the luxury home goods company violated a 2020 trade commission order that required the company to accurately represent the origin of its products.
Williams-Sonoma had settled those charges by paying $1 million to the FTC and subsequently submitted a compliance report the following year, asserting full adherence to the order’s provisions.
Largest Penalty in Made in USA Case
On Friday, the FTC announced that Williams-Sonoma had agreed to a settlement involving a $3.175 million civil penalty, marking the largest civil penalty in a “Made in USA” case.
FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said that such deception harms honest American businesses and stated that firms engaging in “Made-in-USA” fraud would face consequences.
