Legal Definitions - misbranding

Misbranding refers to the act of labeling a product with information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading to consumers.

This legal concept ensures that product labels accurately reflect what is inside the package, how the product should be used, and what benefits it provides. Misbranding can involve false claims about ingredients, origin, safety, or effectiveness, and it is prohibited by law to protect consumers from deception and potential harm.

• Example 1: Food Products

  A company sells a fruit juice labeled as "100% Pure Apple Juice, No Added Sugar." However, laboratory testing reveals that the product contains high-fructose corn syrup and is made from a concentrate with artificial flavorings. This is an instance of misbranding because the label makes false claims about the product's ingredients and purity, misleading consumers about its nutritional content and naturalness.

• Example 2: Safety Warnings

  A manufacturer produces a line of children's pajamas and labels them as "flame-resistant." Despite this claim, the pajamas fail to meet federal flammability standards when tested, igniting easily and burning rapidly. This constitutes misbranding because the label provides false information regarding a critical safety feature, potentially endangering children who wear the product.

• Example 3: Cosmetic Claims

  A skincare company markets an anti-aging cream with packaging that prominently states, "Clinically Proven to Erase Wrinkles in 7 Days." However, the company has no scientific studies or credible evidence to support such a dramatic claim, and the product's ingredients are standard moisturizers without any proven anti-aging properties. This is an example of misbranding because the label makes unsubstantiated and misleading claims about the product's effectiveness, creating false expectations for consumers.