Lawsuit: Bell Bicycle Seat Parts Made Overseas, Not in the USA

California company Bell Sports, Inc. is facing a class action lawsuit for selling children’s bicycle seats with a “Made in the USA” claim that was allegedly untrue.

The bicycle seats are the type that attach to an adult bike, allowing a toddler to ride tandem. They look similar to toddler car seats, complete with a molded plastic body, cushioned interior and attached straps.

Bell Bicycle Seat False Representation

The Bell bicycle seat class action lawsuit alleges that the majority of the seat’s parts were made of foreign-made components, not from American components. For the makers to claim “Made in USA” on the package is a violation of both New Jersey state laws and federal laws.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, “Made in USA” means that “all or virtually all” of the product has been made in America. Specifically, all significant parts, processing and labor that go into creating the product must be of U.S. origin.

The Bell bicycle seat purchased by the plaintiffs is the CoPilot Limo brand, which includes a “new plush seat cushion,” made in China, and the “Blackburn Expedition Rack,” made in Taiwan.

Bell is accused of fraudulently concealing the fact that the components’ country of origin was not the United States.

Consumers’ Decisions Based on Claims

The lawsuit states that consumers are vulnerable to the deceptive and fraudulent practices of manufacturers who claim an item is made in the USA, when it, in fact, consists of mostly foreign parts.

Investigating the origin of a product’s parts or where they were put together is not something that is easy for consumers to do.

Individuals choose to purchase products that are made in the United States for a variety of reasons. They believe they are supporting American companies and the jobs of fellow Americans.

Oftentimes, consumers believe that products made in the USA are of higher quality than foreign-made versions because the U.S. has strict quality control standards.

In the case of the Bell bicycle seat, many purchasers claim they paid a higher price for the product based on the Made in the USA label.

They assumed the quality of the product was of higher standards, and that the safety of the child riding in the seat was more assured, based on the untrue fact it was locally manufactured with locally produced parts.

The Bell bicycle seat lawsuit alleges that the seats were made with sub-standard foreign-produced parts that were not worth the purchase price paid.

The lead plaintiff was offended and felt cheated after the purchase to learn that despite the prominent image of the American flag and the “Made in the USA” claim, that her purchase was not supporting U.S. jobs and the U.S. economy as she had thought when she made the purchasing decision.

The Bell Bicycle Seat Class Action Lawsuit is Kristen Miller-Monteleone et. al., v. Bell Sports, Inc., et. al., Docket No. ESX-L-004546 Civil Action, in the Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division: Essex County.