Opinion WITH REQUESTS THEREFOR Proposed survey by an association for its members exploring consumer and…

1695 - Opinion ADVISORY OPINIONS WITH REQUESTS THEREFOR Proposed survey by an association for its members exploring consumer and customer attitudes as to the packaging of cookware products with handles disassembled. (File No. 743 7012)

Opinion Letter
July 24, 1974
Dear Mr. Newman:

This letter is in response to your request for an advisory opinion concerning a proposed survey to be undertaken by your client, the Metal Cookware Manufacturers Association, Inc. (MCMA) It is the Commission’s understanding that various members of MCMA have expressed an interest in exploring retailer and consumer attitudes as to the packaging of their cookware products with handles disassembled. MCMA proposes to conduct a survey on behalf of those member companies who wish to participate. Each member has been invited to send to MCMA a list of customers to be contacted for the survey. Each member’s list will be held in confidence and will not be made available to any other member. When the results have been received, MCMA will develop statistics which will be available to all participating members.

The Commission would not initiate proceedings against MCMA if such a program were adopted unless the survey results in an association policy on packaging which has a coercive effect on members who might elect to package their products in contravention of any such policy. In the event that access to the aggregate data becomes essential to compete in the metal cookware industry, non-members of MCMA must be allowed to receive such aggregate data on payment of a reasonable

fee.
By direction of the Commission.
Letter of Request
April 16, 1974