Straight & Narrow Time

HEN THE energy consciousness of the nation was raised in recent vears it soon becanre apparent that one result would be soaring sales of insulation and related products. A bonanza was on the way, extra coin for everyone from manufacturer to retailer. But like all developments, it has turned out to have (at least) two sides.

The latest is on the darker side. as the governrnent has corne down hard on sales deceotion via "false and rnisleading" clrims about cncrgy savings. Too many firnts have been playing fast and loose with the facts. If the f-eds have anything to do about it, they will rnake the seller regret it.

The Federal Trade Cornntission now says it is illegal to:

. make false and nrisleadins clainrs about energy savlng. make clainrs witltout a "reasonable" basis. fail to disclose any t'ire or safety risk not inrntediately apparent to the user.

Recently nrailed warnings to retailers also advise that the FTC is prepared to investigate questionable clairns regarding insulation and energy savings and that they will issue walnings to ofl'cndcrs. ll rt tl)e cnd ol' ('0 drys the situarion is not cleared, flnes of'up to S10.000 can be levied.

We know of nrore than one case of a retailer who. by sinrple ignorance o1'the tacts. advertised sevelal insulation products that sinrply could not pcrlilrrn as advertised. But as the saying has it, ignorance is no excuse. It is not possible to tell at this early a stage, whether the l'eds rvill vigorously pursue violators or whether basically they ale trying to intintidate everyolte into contplian ce.

But whichever way it goes, it rnakes no seltse to push clainrs for products that are unsubstantiated. for a nunlber of reasons.

Even if it weren't illegal, unctlrical and irnnroral to lie about the products (and that's a pretty good threesorrre of' reasons) it is also poor business. The public will eventually figure out what's what. And il' they don't, consurner advocates will tell thent.

Bend over backwards in yout' advertising to bc ccrtain that you and your llrnr are not even close to technical violation. With all the opportunities by playing it straight. why do otherwise?

HARDWOoDS * SOFTWOODS * CUSTOM M|LL|NG ll/e are proud to announce tbe acqaisition of General

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