US Regulator Approves Final Orders Banning Companies From Making False Claims Over So-Called Natural Ingredients

14 Jul 2016 --- The Federal Trade Commission has approved four final consent orders against companies that allegedly misrepresented their personal care products by claiming they were completely natural.

Despite the fact that products contained man-made ingredients, several companies advertised their products as either ‘All-Natural” or “100 percent Natural” in online promotions.

According to the FTC’s complaints, Trans-India Products Inc, doing business as ShiKai, Erickson Marketing Group, doing business as Rocky Mountain Sunscreen, ABS Consumer Products, LLC, doing business as EDEN BodyWorks, and Beyond Coastal, all made deceptive all-natural claims in online advertising.

It concerns a variety of products, ranging from shampoo and shower gel to sunscreen.

This action comes after the FTC’s announcement in April when it reached an agreement with the companies to settle charges that they falsely claimed products were natural despite them containing synthetic ingredients.

Under the final settlements, each of the companies is barred from making similar claims in future promotions and advertising and must back up any ingredient-related, environmental or health-related claims with substantial evidence.

Looking closer at each case, the FTC says California-based Trans-India advertised online selling ‘All-Natural Hand and Body Lotion’ and ‘All-Natural Moisturizing Shower Gel’ for $6.39 and $6.59. In fact, the lotion contained Dimethicone and Phenoxyethanol, while the gel contained Phenoxyethanol.

Rocky Mountain Sunscreen, based in Colorado, claimed its face sun stick for adults and children was natural when in fact it contained Dimethicone, Polyethylene and other synthetic ingredients.

Eden BodyWorks, based in Memphis, Tennessee, sold various hair care products with “all natural” claims when they contained Polyquaternium-7, Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol.

While Salt-Lake City-based Beyond Coastal sold so-called “Natural Sunscreen SPF 30” which actually contained Dimethicone.