Used Mattress Resellers Settle FTC Charges

Furniture World Magazine

Two used mattress retailers, Mega Furniture, Inc. and Nueva Furniture, Inc., both based in Brooklyn, New York, have agreed to enter into court settlements with the Federal Trade Commission as a part of a joint federal-state crackdown on the deceptive sale of "rebuilt" mattresses. Timed to follow up on May's "Better Sleep Month," today's announcement launches "Project Rest Easy," a law enforcement initiative and consumer education campaign aimed at cleaning up the renovated mattress industry and helping consumers spot mattress scams.The FTC actions prohibit the defendants from misrepresenting the extent to which any of the mattresses they sell contain used materials. In addition, Mega Furniture and Nueva Furniture cannot use the term "rebuilt," or any other term that implies that their used mattresses have been subject to some re-processing, unless they also disclose - clearly and conspicuously at the time the representation is made - the extent to which such mattress is used. The companies also will offer full refunds, amounting to nearly $50,000, to all consumers who purchased used mattresses from them between January 1, 1999 and the present. State public health officials address issues concerning sanitization and the potential health concerns about used bedding, while the FTC's focus is on ensuring that consumers receive truthful and appropriate disclosures about the bedding they buy.