New Jersey Consumer Says Bell Bicycle Seats Not Made in the USA

In order to support the country’s economy and U.S jobs, many Americans prefer to spend a little extra on Made in the USA products.

Take for instance, active parents who are comparison shopping for a safe and quality children’s bike seat. Many consumer parents wouldn’t hesitate to purchase Bell bicycle seats since they are advertised as Made in the USA – which also typically infers it is a higher quality and safer product.

Bell Sports is a leading manufacturer of bicycle related products, including the CoPilot and Cocoon line of children’s bicycle seats and carriers.

But the maker of Bell bicycle seats for children may be falsely labeling their product as Made in the USA, according to a New Jersey parent.

Bell Bicycle Seats False Advertising Allegations

Plaintiff Kristen Miller-Monteleone filed a proposed class action lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court, alleging that when she purchased a Bell bicycle seat for her child in July 2008, she did so based on the product’s prominently displayed Made in the USA labeling.

However, Miller-Monteleone was shocked to learn that despite the label, Bell bicycle seats for children are manufactured from component parts that are produced outside of the United States – a violation of New Jersey and federal laws.

Specifically, Miller-Monteleone alleges that two of the major components in the CoPilot version of Bell bicycle seats are not Made in the USA as indicated on the label.  She claims that the entire “New Plush Seat Cushion” is made in China and the Blackburn Expedition Rack in made in Taiwan.

U.S. made component parts are subject to strict regulatory requirements, such as environmental, labor and safety standards.  Foreign made component parts are not subject to the same U.S. manufacturing standards are inherently of lower quality than their U.S. made counterparts, according to the Bell bicycle seat lawsuit.

She claims that the Bell bicycle seat she purchased was made with “sub-standard foreign-made parts that are not worth the purchase price paid.”

Miller-Monteleone is seeking to represent a nationwide Class of consumers (except for those in the state of California) who purchased Bell bicycle seats for children under the guise that the products were Made in the USA.

New Jersey Made in USA Labeling Laws

Manufacturers and retailers put enormous effort into marketing and advertising, often making grandiose claims about their product or service, such as being Made in the USA. As long as these claims aren’t overtly deceptive (or flat-out false) they’re typically legal.

The Federal Trade Commission restricts the use of “Made in USA” marking to products that are virtually all made in the United States.  At the state level, New Jersey deceptive trade practices law, prohibits the False representation of the source, sponsorship, approval, certification, accessories, characteristics, benefits, or quantities of a good or service.

This is not the first time Bell Sports has been in legal hot water over falsely advertising Bell bicycle seats as Made in the USA.  In 2012, the company settled a class action lawsuit with a group of California consumers who purchased Bell’s Taxi or Limo children’’ bike seats.

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.