Foreign origin disclosure of individual items repackaged in combination sets

No. 76. Foreign origin disclosure of individual items repackaged in combination sets. The Federal Trade Commission today announeed that it had recently rendered an advisory opinion dealing with disclosure of foreign origin of imported novelty items which wil1 be repackaged in various combination sets in this country. The items , both textile fiber and nontextile fiber products which are labeled as to specific country of origin at the time ,

their importation, wi1 be repaekaged in sets in such a manner that the labels wi1 not be visible to prospective purchasers. As to sets composed entirely of imported nontextile fiber products, the Commission said "that a proceeding by it to require di8closure of origin on the package would not appear to be warranted, in the absence of any showing of material deception. However, as to any combination set containing only imported textile fiber products, the Commission said the specific eountry of origin of these products must be disclosed in such a manner that it would be observed upon casual inspection by prospective purchasers before, not after, the purchase. The necessity of this disclosure is based upon the requirements of the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and the rules issued thereunder. The disclosure, the Commission said does not necessarily have to be on the outside of the package; it could be inside the package provided it would be clearly visible through the ce110phane cover. The point is that the disclosure must be in some position on the package where it would be observed prior to the purchase not afterward, If imported textile fiber products are packaged in the same combination set with imported nontextie fiber products , the Commission advised that "it would also be necessary to disclose the foreign origin of the non-textile fiber components. Otherwise, prospective purchasers are likely to be misled into the mistaken belief, through the affirmative disclosure of the foreign origin of the textile fiber products, that the nontextile fiber products packaged therewith are of domestic origin. " (File No. 6537042, released July 27 1966.