All businesses sell either goods or services. The majority of companies also deal with other businesses, such as suppliers, to continue running efficiently.
Businesses have to trade fairly. A company cannot employ deceptive practices that deceive customers. The law in this area is governed by the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA). What is deceptive and unfair trading and what does the law say about it?
Misleading information about the products or services
Deceptive trading often stems from misleading statements about the product or services. For example, your company may have been sold a fleet of business vehicles that were supposed to be brand new. The seller told you that they were new, but it turns out that they have all traveled at least 10 thousand miles. If they were sold to you as “brand new vehicles,” then you may have legal recourse under FDUTPA.
Another common example of deceptive trading is claiming that a product has been approved by certain bodies when it hasn’t. For example, if you are sold a product on the basis that it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, then the approval process must have happened. If it didn’t then this is a misrepresentation that you could challenge under FDUTPA.
As well as selling goods and services, your company probably buys them every day too. It’s important to take steps to ensure that your customers cannot accuse you of being deceptive. This means employing ethical and accurate marketing measures. You also should not be deceived when purchasing goods and services.
We help companies remain compliant with FDUPTA and other areas of Florida business law. Call us today to book a consultation.