Thursday, January 20, 2011

Truth in Advertising,,,,,

Greetings!!

We are having an interesting discussion on the Amish America blog that I am a regular follower on about truth in advertising.  Is it deceptive practice to say, "made in Amish Country" or something along those lines when it is not actually made by the Amish?  What a good question!!

We had touched on this subject before but this discussion has gotten in depth not only about the Amish but about truth in advertising in general.  Being a person in business I find it very interesting.

One of the examples I discussed on the blog was a bakery in Arthur, IL, the heart of Amish country here called, "Amish Country Bakery".  For tourist, not really paying attention, that might lead them to believe it was an Amish run bakery.  In fact many people believed just that.  But when I went into the bakery, I noticed the lady behind the counter dressed more like Mennonite.  Believe it or not, there is a difference.  Anyway, I listened to other customers make comments like, "I only buy from the Amish", or "I just love coming here, the Amish really know how to bake and cook".

The lady would nod and say thank you but never once did she tell them she was not Amish.  After the other customers had left and I made my purchase I asked her if she were Mennonite.  She smiled and said yes she was and obviously I was not a tourist.  She also stated that tourist do not know the difference and why should she correct them.  Let them believe what they want so long as they purchased from her.

Now to me that is just down right lying and wrong.  It is one thing if people make assumptions without bothering to try to find out and another when they comment on them and you do not correct them.  The sign, "Amish Country Bakery" in and of itself is not totally deceptive as we were indeed in the heart of Amish Country.  But she was very deceptive!!

Another example in "truth in advertising" failing is Campbell's soups.  They advertise they use sea salt because it is 50% less sodium.  People, go into any grocery store, pick up a container of sea salt and a container of the same size of table salt and read the labels.  You will find there is NO difference in the amount of sodium!!

Yes we have laws regarding truth in advertising.  The problem is we do not have the resources to enforce those laws and people know it.  It has to become the responsibility of every consumer to pay attention, know what you are buying and from whom.  And when you find a company being less than truthful about their products, don't purchase from them.  The consumers have to send a loud and clear message they will not be deceived and not put up with it.

There are also laws that say when a product is made in another country there must be a "country of origin" label on that product.  Yet many retailers will remove those labels.  Why?  Because they know they can get away with it.  Our laws do no good if we do not have the resources to enforce those laws.

Searching for truth in business,,,,,
Until next time,,,,, blessings

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