Toy Association Priority Legislation INFORM Consumers Act Included in 2023 Omnibus Bill

December 20, 2022 | The Toy Association applauds Congress for agreeing to include the INFORM Consumers Act in its final fiscal year 2023 omnibus funding package that was introduced this morning. The omnibus, which has not passed yet but is expected to by the end of this week, includes a national standard — enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General — that requires online marketplaces to disclose certain verified information regarding high-volume third-party sellers of consumer products, such as toys and play products.

“For several years, The Toy Association has been simultaneously advocating for eliminating the danger of counterfeit toys and violative products widespread across online marketplaces while educating consumers about the risks,” said Steve Pasierb, president & CEO of The Toy Association. “Our priority remains both prompting marketplaces to take stronger action and modernizing consumer protection laws, making passage of the INFORM Consumers Act a major step in combating these illegitimate actors from continuing to sell illicit goods. Inclusion of the this bill in this final omnibus funding package is critical in our efforts to protect families and the member companies we serve.”

The Toy Association has been a vocal advocate against counterfeit toys, and the issue remains a top year-round priority. Beyond its work on Capitol Hill, the Association collaborates with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other agencies on anti-counterfeiting measures to reduce the number of fake toys entering the country. Most recently, the Association signed a letter with more than 70 other groups on December 16 that called for the INFORM Act to be included in the final version of the omnibus appropriations bill. The Association also educates consumers throughout the year on how to spot and avoid fake toys sold online.

The INFORM Act was introduced last October by Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Ranking Member Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)and gained support from law enforcement, manufacturers, retailers, and online marketplaces prior to its inclusion in the omnibus bill.

In a joint statement released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. and Rep. Schakowsky said, “This end-of-year package is in lock step with our Committee’s commitment to put consumers first. It includes legislation that will help curb the onslaught of counterfeit, defective, and unsafe products available to Americans shopping on third-party e-commerce sites — a major source of fake and unsafe goods.”

“We thank Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Gus Bilirakis, and Senators Bill Cassidy and Dick Durbin, for serving as staunch champions for this legislation so important to the toy and play community,” Pasierb added. “We implore Congress to get the INFORM Consumers Act across the finish line and signed into law before the end of the year.”

For more information on The Toy Association’s global advocacy work on counterfeits and IP protection, visit thetoyassociation.org/advocacy.