Five Ways Companies Trick You Into Thinking Their Products Are Made in the USA
Many Americans are getting a crash course in an economic term that, until recently, was quite obscure: tariffs. Economics can be quite complex, and understanding the ins and outs of tariff policy and how it may — or may not! — affect consumer prices is a daunting task, but one thing is clear about tariffs : They mostly affect imported goods. Products that are made domestically will not be affected, especially if the components and ingredients used are also sourced from within the country.
That should make getting around tariff prices pretty simple: Just look for products that were made in America, right? It’s not a foolproof strategy , but it’s a smart strategy. The problem with this seemingly simple strategy is that it’s actually very easy for companies to deceive themselves about where their products are actually made. If you’re trying to support American manufacturing and avoid the economic impact of tariffs, you need to know these tricks companies use to make you think their product was made in the U.S.
Formulation
The first thing to look at is the words used to describe the product. The exact phrase “made in the USA” is a standard defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as a product that is “wholly or substantially wholly” manufactured in the United States, including Washington, D.C. and its territories. This is a fairly strict standard, so products that use imported materials or are manufactured worldwide cannot use the “made in the USA” label.
However, they may use similar expressions, such as:
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Assembled in America
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Made in the USA.
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Designed in the USA.
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Inspired by American craftsmanship
None of these phrases have any legal meaning, but unless you examine every product you come across, you can reasonably assume that they mean the product was made here.
Another way companies can trick you with “made in the USA” is by including the phrase in a product description or marketing in a different context. For example, there might be a sentence that claims the product performs better than other products made in the USA. They are not actually claiming that their product is made in America, but the inclusion of the phrase makes it appear that it is.
Imagery
A subtle way that companies try to imply that their products are made in the USA when they are not is through simple imagery: American flags, bald eagles, and red, white, and blue color schemes look patriotic and homey without really having any meaning. Likewise, maps of the continental United States are iconic and instantly recognizable, implying that products are made right here in America, but they don’t really say anything at all.
Sometimes flags and other American iconography are used in conjunction with a particular landmark that is instantly recognizable as American, such as the Statue of Liberty or the Washington Monument. This emphasizes the “Americanness” of the product without making any specific (or substantiated) claims about its origin or place of manufacture.
Disclaimer
Legal disclaimers are an old tactic to avoid liability for fraudulent activity, and they are alive and well. Companies sometimes sell products that clearly state that they are made in the USA, but elsewhere include a disclaimer warning consumers otherwise.
A prime example of this is Walmart, where a disclaimer that reads, in part, “For some items sold by Walmart on Walmart.com, the country of origin information displayed may be inaccurate or may not match the manufacturer’s information” appears on dozens of items sold through the site. Essentially, the disclaimer acknowledges that some items are deceptive about their origins, and you’ll need to dig deep to find out the truth.
Headquarters Focus
One simple trick a company can use to make you think their products are made right here in the U.S. is to overemphasize their corporate headquarters. By constantly stating that the company is “based” in a U.S. city or state, they create a psychological connection between their products and the U.S. But just because a company’s corporate presence is in the U.S. doesn’t mean their manufacturing is there. If you assume that means their products are made here, well, that’s on you.
Broad definition
Another sneaky way companies pretend their products are made right here in the U.S. is by using a broad definition of “America” — meaning “America” includes North, South, and Central America. Semantically accurate, this phrase allows you to assume that “America” means the U.S., when the products are actually made in Mexico or Canada. For example, the shoe company Lucchese often uses this phrase in its marketing, but many of its shoes are made in Mexico, China, and Brazil .