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Photo = Fair Trade Commission |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a corrective order to Ace Bed for advertising a chemical product used in its mattresses as “harmless,” despite potential health concerns. The company maintains that the issue lies not in product safety but in the appropriateness of the wording.
On Tuesday, the FTC announced that it had imposed a cease-and-desist order against Ace Bed for violating the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising.
Between November 2016 and June 2018, Ace Bed marketed a mattress disinfectant and insect repellent product called “Microguard.” The product’s packaging prominently featured claims in red text such as “Made with ingredients approved by the U.S. EPA” and “Harmless to the human body—safe to use (Tested by a government-certified agency).”
The FTC judged that such expressions could mislead consumers into believing the product was completely safe for human health.
Ace Bed responded, stating, “The ingredient in question is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an ‘approved substance’ and was used within the regulatory limits.” The company emphasized that the FTC’s concern was not with actual toxicity but rather with the usage of the term “harmless,” which could mislead consumers due to the chemical nature of the product.
Ace Bed added, “The ingredient highlighted by the FTC is less toxic than caffeine found in coffee. Even the FTC acknowledged the findings of external evaluations which concluded that, based on exposure levels, the substance poses no health risk.”
The company also clarified that the product has not been used since 2018 and that no consumer harm or damage has been reported related to its use.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
