Bell Sports has been targeted in a class action lawsuit over improper or deceptive use of Made in USA labels on their Bell Bicycle Seats products in New Jersey.
According to the class action lawsuit, Bell Sports, a company that makes a variety of different sporting products, sold children’s bicycle seats in New Jersey with “Made in the USA” labeling that were not actually made in the USA as advertised, but were instead made from a variety of foreign parts.
Advertising products as “Made in the USA,” “Made in USA,” or similar variants when products are actually made primarily from foreign parts violates both New Jersey and federal laws.
Bell Bicycle Seat products allegedly included this false Made in the USA labeling including their CoPilot line of children’s bicycle seats.
Made in the USA Labeling
Both federal and New Jersey state law prohibits companies like Bell Sports from claiming a product is “Made in the USA,” “Made in America,” or variants when more than minimal parts of the product are in fact manufactured outside of the United States.
If a product has significant components manufactured outside the country, the company cannot label the product as “Made in USA” or similar variants, according to the law.
However, companies are also aware that products labeled “Made in the USA” are often more desirable than similar products without such a label.
This is informed by a number of factors, including wanting to support jobs in the country, labor conditions outside of the country, and even just patriotism.
Therefore, it is common practice for companies to use a Made in the USA label to gain a competitive edge over rival companies.
Consumers are easily tricked into believing that products with a Made in the USA label are telling the truth, allowing companies to take advantage of their desire to promote American-made products.
Bell Bicycle Seats Class Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit has already been filed against Bell Sports, accusing the sporting goods company of violating both New Jersey and federal laws, actively misleading consumers about the manufacturing background of children’s bicycle seats labeled “Made in the USA.”
According to the lawsuit, “The ‘Made in USA’ claim is prominently printed on the product packaging along with an image of the American flag.”
“Despite true facts to the contrary, the offending children’s bicycle seats are made, manufactured, or produced from component parts that are manufactured outside the United States,” states the lawsuit.
Bicycle seat parts made outside of the United States, according to the lawsuit, include the New Plush Seat Cushion and the Blackburn Expedition Rack. The cushion is made in China, while the rack is made in Taiwan.
The lawsuit explains that, since these foreign components make up a significant portion of the seats, the products cannot be lawfully advertised as “Made in the USA.”
If you have purchased a Bell Sports bicycle seat in the State of New Jersey under the belief that it was made in the USA, you may be able to join a free class action lawsuit investigation to seek damages.
The Bell Bicycle Seats Class Action Lawsuit is Miller-Monteleone v. Bell Sports, Inc., et al., Case No. ESK-L-004546, in the Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division, Essex County.
