The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against Provide Commerce, the parent company of Pro-Flowers, for "False and misleading" advertising. Pro-Flowers claims that it ships inventory "directly from the fields." The ads imply that the flowers are not picked until they are ordered. Pro-Flowers actually stores flowers in refrigerated warehouses and ships from these warehouses. The FTC can most likely order Pro-Flowers to run _____ and inform its customers that its flowers do not come fresh from the field.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most appropriate action for the FTC in this case would be to order Pro-Flowers to run corrective advertisements to inform its customers that their flowers are not shipped directly from the fields as advertised. A corrective advertisement would help to correct the misleading message that has been conveyed to customers through the false advertising. A cease-desist order prohibits a company from engaging in a specific activity, while a consent order is a legally binding settlement agreement between the FTC and the company. A cessation order would force the company to stop operating altogether, which is not a suitable penalty in this case. The FTC may also require Pro-Flowers to run substantiated advertisements in the future, but that would not be the immediate course of action.

The Federal Trade Commission Has Filed a Complaint Against Provide