CONSUMER PROTECTION

The citizen’s protection as a consumer of goods reaches into many different areas. These include:
Methods of presentation of goods, among them advertising
Packaging and labeling of goods
Methods used in selling the goods
Sales on credit
Protection of consumer defenses
Many more such area might be listed. Each can be discussed under a separate heading.

Deceptive Practices

The statutes, rules and regulations of various governmental agencies forbid or restrict deceptive practices in the sale of consumer goods. Some of these practices are:
False or Misleading Endorsements. An endorsement of a product is a statement by someone, usually someone with high public exposure and identity, that he or she approves the product. The endorser may be an athlete, a movie performer, a TV personality, or anyone else known to the public. Where the person making the endorsement has no way of knowing whether the product endorsed lives up to the ad statement, deception may be involved.

In a typical

Example, a movie star endorses a lawn mower, claiming that it is safe. The endorsement may then be deceptive. The public figure who has loaned his or her name, for a price, to a product or business in the hope of stimulating sales may have incurred liability if the product does not perform as advertised. The same is true if the advertising is otherwise deceptive.