Skip to main content

Consumer Products Advertised To Save Energy--Let the Buyer Beware

HRD-81-85 Published: Jul 24, 1981. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 1981.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

GAO reviewed the problems experienced by federal, state, and local agencies in protecting consumers from potentially inaccurate or misleading energy-savings claims.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Trade Commission The Chairman of FTC should direct of the Bureau of Consumer Protection to alert consumers by publishing additional consumer fact sheets about some of the difficulties with claims and ads, particularly for solar and wood burning products.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should direct the Office of Consumer Affairs to work with its energy-saving device fraud prevention grantee to: (1) establish formal, written procedures, including adequate safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the material it handles; (2) increase its outreach activities to encourage more consumer protection agencies to participate; and (3) reach an agreement with FTC and the Postal Inspection Service to enable them to participate by sharing their data.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

AdvertisingCost controlCrime preventionEnergy conservationFraudLaw enforcementPolicy evaluationSales promotionConsumer protectionInsulation