San Ramon, California – Williams-Sonoma has been ordered to pay over $3 million in civil penalties for falsely claiming that its products were made in the USA when they were actually manufactured in China. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Justice Department disclosed that the high-end kitchen store agreed to a $3,175,387 settlement.
FTC Chair Lina M. Khan emphasized that Williams-Sonoma’s deceit misled consumers and disadvantaged honest American businesses. The company’s parent corporation, William-Sonoma Inc., which also owns Pottery Barn, West Elm, and other home goods brands, violated a 2020 FTC order mandating truthful labeling about the products’ country of origin.
In addition to the financial penalty, Williams-Sonoma Inc. must acknowledge their misleading claims about product manufacturing. The company is now required to maintain detailed records of their product origins for future compliance with government regulations.
The FTC’s lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma in 2020 revealed that the company promoted various product lines, including Goldtouch and Pottery Barn Teen, as being predominantly American-made. This recent incident underscores the ongoing scrutiny businesses face regarding the accuracy of their claims about product production.
Despite repeated attempts to seek comment, Williams-Sonoma Inc. has not responded to inquiries from news sources. This latest development serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency in marketing and the consequences of misleading consumers about a product’s origin. The settlement reached underscores the government’s commitment to holding companies accountable for fraudulent “Made in USA” labeling practices.