In February 2006, the Competition Bureau received a complaint about imported textile products offered for sale by a major retail chain in Canada that indicated a high percentage of Spandex fibre. The complainant was of the opinion that the stated percentage was significantly greater than the actual percentage.

Under subsection 5(1) of the Textile Labelling Act, no dealer shall apply to a consumer textile article a label, or sell, import into Canada or advertise a consumer textile article that has a label containing any false or misleading representation relating to the article.

Bureau representatives ordered an analysis of the fibre content of the disputed product. The analysis results confirmed that the representation of the fibre content was incorrect. The Bureau consequently discussed Textile Labelling Act requirements with company authorities. After the talks, the company’s authorities made a commitment in writing to do the following:

• immediately take the product off the Canadian market;
• notify and sensitize their foreign suppliers to prevent a recurrence of the situation;
• have new products from foreign suppliers analysed by a recognized source, in order to confirm their compliance with the Textile Labelling Act and the Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations; and
• make the proper corrections to non-compliant products before offering them for sale on the Canadian market.

This matter was resolved in April 2006.

(3099958)