ABOUT THE FTC
NEWS & EVENTS
ENFORCEMENT
POLICY
Contact
Stay
TIPSConnected
& ADVICEPrivacy IPolicy
WOULD
FTC
LIKE
en español
TO...
Search
Home » News & Events » Press Releases » FTC Report: Many Consumers Believe "Up To" Claims Promise Maximum Results
FTC Report: Many Consumers Believe "Up To" Claims
Promise Maximum Results
June 29, 2012
SHARE THIS PAGE
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
TAGS: Bureau of Consumer Protection
Advertising and Marketing
Consumer Protection
Advertising and Marketing Basics
Environmental Marketing
The Federal Trade Commission today released an FTC-commissioned study indicating that when marketers use the
phrase "up to" in claims about their products, many consumers are likely to believe that they will achieve the
maximum "up to" results. The study describes what a test group of consumers thought about ads for replacement
home windows that purportedly would provide "up to 47%" savings in energy costs.
Related Actions
Effects of a Bristol Windows
Advertisement with an “Up To”
Savings Claim on Consumer
Take-Away and Beliefs
Media Resources
Protecting Consumers
Green Guides
The FTC believes the report will help guide advertisers to avoid the use of misleading "up to" claims. It reinforces the
FTC's view that advertisers using these claims should be able to substantiate that consumers are likely to achieve
the maximum results promised under normal circumstances.
The report summarizes the results of a test conducted in conjunction with investigations of five companies that, in
February, settled FTC charges that they made unsupported claims about their windows' energy efficiency and how
much they would reduce consumers' heating and cooling bills. The cases are part of the agency's efforts to ensure
that environmental marketing is truthful and based on scientific evidence.
The Commission vote approving release of the report was 5-0. It is available on the FTC's website and as a link to
this press release. (FTC File No. 1023171; the staff contact is Serena Viswanathan, Bureau of Consumer Protection,
202-326-3244)
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices
and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the
FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into
Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement
agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like
the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
(Up To Claims)
CONTACT INFORMATION
MEDIA CONTACT:
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180
ABOUT THE FTC
NEWS & EVENTS
ENFORCEMENT
POLICY
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
What We Do
Press Releases
Cases and Proceedings
Advocacy
Our History
Commission Actions
Data and Visualizations
Advisory Opinions
Commissioners
Media Resources
Bureaus & Offices
Events Calendar
Premerger Notification
Program
Cooperation
Agreements
Headquarters:
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Contact Us
Biographies
Open Meetings
Merger Review
Budgets
Speeches
Anticompetitive
Practices
Federal Register
Notices
Performance
Audio/Video
Rules
Public Comments
Office of Inspector
General
Social Media
Statutes
Studies
Blogs
Guidance Documents
Testimony
Contests
Warning Letters
Policy Statements
Consumer Sentinel
Network
International
FOIA
Careers at the FTC
Office of EEO and
Workplace Inclusion
Criminal Liaison Unit
Notices of Penalty
Offenses
TIPS & ADVICE
I WOULD LIKE TO...
SITE INFORMATION
For Consumers
Report Fraud to the
FTC
Privacy Policy
For Military Consumers
Website Policy
Business Center
Apply for a Refund in
an FTC Case
No FEAR Act
Competition Guidance
Report Identity Theft
USA.gov
List a Number on the
National Do Not Call
Registry
Accessibility
Get a Free Copy of My
Credit Report
Open Government
File a Comment
Report An Antitrust
Violation
Digital Government
Strategy
Plain Writing
Information Quality
Small Business NonRetaliation Policy
Transition to Internet
Protocol version 6
(IPv6)
Vulnerability Disclosure
Policy
Reports
Hearings on
Competition &
Consumer Protection
Stay Connected with the FTC