FTC Pauses, Reflects, Rescinds Guides for the Mirror Industry

Adoption of industry standards, as well as technological advances in the manufacture of glass used in utilitarian and decorative mirrors have made the Federal Trade Commission’s Guides for the Mirror Industry (Mirror Guides) obsolete, the agency said today. As a result, the Guides have been rescinded, effective Nov. 21.

The Mirror Guides, issued in June 1962, and revised in June 1972, were intended to provide guidance in avoiding deceptive claims in advertisements or promotional materials used in the sale or distribution of mirrors. Specifically, the Mirror Guides counseled against misrepresentations concerning such things as the type, grade, quality, material, strength or composition of mirrors; or concerning the type or composition of glass contained in any mirror.

As part of its ongoing periodic review of its rules and guides and in keeping with the objective to eliminate obsolete or unnecessary regulatory requirements, the Federal Trade Commission sought public comment on the Mirror Guides in March of this year. The FTC requested comments about the overall costs and benefits of the guides and their regulatory and economic impact. The agency received one comment -- from the North American Association of Mirror Manufacturers (NAAMM) -- which characterized the guides as being obsolete and recommended that they be amended or rescinded because the processes used today in the manufacture of glass used for mirrors are no longer an issue, as they were when the guides were first promulgated.

Notwithstanding recission of the mirror guides, deceptive claims regarding mirrors continue to be unlawful under the FTC Act.

A notice announcing the rescission of the Mirror Guides was published in the Federal Register yesterday. The Commission vote to rescind the Guides was 5-0.

Copies of the Federal Register notice rescinding the guides, are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326- 2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov

Howard Shapiro

Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2176

Jessica D. Gray

Bureau of Competition
(202) 326-2025

(FTC File No. P96 7514)