The US Fedral Trade Commission has ordered the vacuum cleaner manufacturer Oreck to pay nearly $700,000 in refunds to consumers over false advertising claims.
Oreck claimed in adverts in the USA that one of its vacuum cleaners, the Halo model, had an air filter made by the company that could reduce the risk of flu and other illnesses, as well as eliminate virtually all common germs and allergens.
Under the settlement announced on Monday by the FTC in a press release, Oreck is barred from making any of these claims unless it has “competent and reliable scientific evidence” to support them.
Oreck has made no comment.
Customers who bought the Oreck Halo vacuum should receive $25 for each cleaner purchased. Those who bought the Oreck ProShield Plus air cleaner will receive an average of $24.65 for each item.
The FTC said that it has identified the customers eligible for refunds through sales records provided by Oreck and is mailing 27,339 checks worth a total of $698,000 to customers.