CORREA INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO COMBAT DECEPTIVE DOWNSIZING, SHRINKFLATION IN STORES
Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act Would Empower FTC To Address An Increasingly Common Unfair Practice Against Consumers
WASHINGTON — Today, Representative Lou Correa (CA-46), the top Democrat on the House Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, introduced the Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act of 2024, legislation targeting manufacturers of consumer products that deceptively reduce the size or weight of their products while keeping packaging unchanged, misleading consumers and small businesses.
“Essential items like food, personal care products, and household goods are the prime targets of deceptive downsizing, misleading hard-working American taxpayers here in Orange County and across the country,” Correa said. “With high prices already cutting into people’s paychecks, this deceptive practice only makes the financial struggles of many hard-working Americans worse, especially those who rely on transparency and consistency when purchasing consumer products.”
The Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act of 2024 would make it unlawful for companies to use the same or similar packaging for the same or similar product reduced in size. Correa’s legislation would grant the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with the authority to enforce this ban and ensure that consumers are protected from this unfair practice that undermines their ability to make sound financial decisions.
“The concept of deceptive downsizing is simple: When Americans buy a familiar product, they expect to receive the same sized product when the packaging is the same or similar. When that trust is broken, it continues to erode the foundation of trust our markets are built upon,” Correa added. “My legislation aims to rebuild that trust, offering consumers a marketplace grounded in transparency and respect.”
You can read the full text of this legislation HERE.
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