Over the past two weeks, the FTC secured a permanent injunction blocking Henkel’s $725 million acquisition of Liquid Nails, entered a stipulated order unwinding Zillow and Redfin’s $100 million market-exit agreement, and reached a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan over unauthorized dealer fees. The agency also finalized $930,000 in penalties against Cox Media Group and two affiliated firms for deceptive AI advertising claims, issued a draft policy statement on personalized pricing open for public comment, updated National Do Not Call Registry fees for Fiscal Year 2027, and filed an amicus brief in a Fourth Circuit antitrust matter involving Amgen. These stories and more after the jump.

Aug. 17-21, 2026

August 19, 2026

The FTC announced it is seeking public comment on a draft policy statement on personalized pricing, when companies use personal data to set prices based on how much a company believes an individual consumer is willing to pay. The statement warns that retailers who suggest a price is the same for everyone, when it actually varies by person, could violate the FTC Act for misleading consumers. The FTC also warned that secretly collecting or using personal data to set personalized prices may itself violate the FTC Act. The public comment period closes September 25, 2026. The FTC framed the action as part of a broader effort to crack down on businesses that mislead consumers with hidden fees and surprise charges. For a detailed review of the FTC’s draft statement and its implication on businesses, see our article.

August 21, 2026

The FTC filed an amicus brief (in support of neither party) in an antitrust matter before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In the matter, CareFirst of Maryland, Inc., Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., and CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. (“Plaintiffs”) allege that Amgen Inc. violated Section 2 of the Sherman act by buying exclusive rights to pending patent applications for the biologic drug Enbrel and that it shaped those applications to extend its monopoly and keep lower-cost competitors out of the market. For an in-depth analysis of the FTC’s position and what it means for patent acquisition strategies in biologic drug markets, read our client alert.

Aug. 24-28, 2026

Monday, August 24, 2026

The FTC, joined by five state attorneys general, reached a stipulated order resolving its antitrust lawsuit against Zillow and Redfin. According to the FTC’s press release, Zillow paid Redfin $100 million in 2025 to exit the internet listing services (ILS) market for multifamily rental properties. Under the alleged arrangement, Redfin agreed to shut down its ILS business, transfer its customers to Zillow, and stay out of the market for up to nine years—conduct the FTC characterized as violating Section 1 of the Sherman Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act. Five states filed a parallel complaint, which a court consolidated with the FTC’s case in November 2025. The FTC alleged that Zillow and Redfin together operated some of the nation’s largest rental platforms—including Zillow Rentals, Trulia, HotPads, Rent.com, and ApartmentGuide.com—and that the agreement eliminated Redfin as an independent competitor, further concentrating an already consolidated market and harming renters and property management companies. The order, in effect for 10 years, requires Redfin to relaunch its ILS business within six months, invest millions of dollars over multiple years, and hire dedicated staff. It also prohibits Zillow from interfering with Redfin’s employee recruitment efforts, requires Zillow to waive applicable noncompete and anti-poaching provisions, and grants ILS customers a nine-month window to renegotiate their Zillow contracts without penalty following Redfin’s relaunch

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

The FTC announced updated access fees for the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, effective October 1, 2026, for Fiscal Year 2027. Telemarketers calling U.S. consumers must download registered phone numbers from the DNC Registry to avoid contacting consumers who have opted out of telemarketing calls. The first five area codes are available at no charge, and exempt organizations, including certain charities and political callers, may access the full list for free. For FY 2027, the per-area-code access fee rises from $82 to $85, the half-year additional area code fee rises from $41 to $43, and the nationwide cap for a single entity increases from $22,626 to $23,425.

Thursday, August 27, 2026

The FTC announced it finalized orders against Cox Media Group (CMG), MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC, resolving allegations that they deceived business customers. The FTC’s complaints against CMG, MindSift, and 1010 Digital Works—which the agency originally filed in May—alleged that the companies violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by falsely marketing an AI-powered advertising service that purportedly used smart device microphones to capture consumer conversations and deliver geographically targeted ads. According to the FTC, the companies misrepresented both the technical capabilities of their service and whether consumers had consented to voice data collection, when in fact the service never used voice data and no consumers had opted in. The orders impose an $880,000 monetary judgment on CMG and $25,000 penalties on MindSift and 1010 Digital Works, directing all funds toward redress for affected CMG customers. Beyond monetary relief, each order permanently prohibits the companies from misrepresenting the capabilities of their advertising services, the collection and use of consumer voice data, the existence of consumer consent for data collection, and the geographic targeting features of their products.

A Market Without Borders – But With Many Regulators

The U.S. pet industry is booming — an estimated $158 billion market in 2024 — and that growth is equally pronounced overseas. Yet unlike well-established frameworks governing human consumer products, pet products occupy a fragmented international regulatory landscape. For companies that manufacture or sell pet products internationally, understanding that landscape is more important than ever.

Continue Reading Pet Products in the Global Arena: What International Regulators Are Watching

On August 19, 2026, the FTC issued a press release outlining the agency’s proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on personalized pricing putting businesses on notice that using consumers’ personal data to set individualized prices without clear and conspicuous disclosures — including the fact of personalization, its basis, and the data used — may constitute a deceptive or unfair practice in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act. Click here to read the full version of this alert.

The FTC made a significant policy shift in August, announcing that it will no longer pursue claims under disparate-impact or “unfair discrimination” theories. The Commission concluded it lacks statutory authority to bring such claims and that doing so would be contrary to constitutional values. This story and more after the jump.

Continue Reading FTC Updates (August 3 – August 14, 2026)

The FTC has been active across both consumer protection and competition spaces in the past two weeks. In the consumer protection space, the Commission announced several proposed settlements with companies and individuals, resolving complaints of alleged deceptive marketing and false advertising. In the competition space, the Commission submitted comments on an Ohio Supreme Court proposal regarding law school accreditation requirements. These stories and more after the jump.

Continue Reading FTC Blog Updates (July 13 – July 24, 2026)

The recent listing of microplastics as a “Candidate Chemical” under California’s Safer Consumer Products (SCP) regulations signals that future regulation of products containing microplastics will likely occur under the SCP program. But the listing may also trigger more imminent obligations under AB 1200 for cookware manufacturers and others. Click here to read the full version of this alert.

A recently filed class action lawsuit against Gymshark, a prominent athletic apparel company, highlights the escalating legal risks associated with influencer marketing. The complaint, brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 16, 2026, alleges that Gymshark systematically paid social media influencers to promote its products without ensuring that the influencers were providing clear and conspicuous disclosures about such payment, in violation of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance and New York state law.

Continue Reading Ghost Advertising: Compliance Takeaways From the Gymshark Influencer Class Action

This week the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to companies making allegedly questionable “Made in the USA” claims, sent more than $2.7 million in payments to workers allegedly harmed by Handy Technologies’ deceptive earnings claims, and announced a $2.25 million settlement with tenant screening company RentGrow. These consumer protection updates reflect the agency’s continued focus on advertising claims, worker-compensation disclosures, and the accuracy of consumer reporting. More on these stories after the jump.

Continue Reading FTC Blog Updates (July 6-July 10, 2026)
Made in USA stamp and stamping

The United States had barely finished blowing out 250 candles on its birthday cake when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decided to remind corporate America what “Made in USA” is actually supposed to mean. On July 6, 2026, the FTC sent a pointed message to the marketplace: unsubstantiated “Made in USA” claims will not go unnoticed. The FTC sent warning letters to several companies advertising products as “Made in USA” — and, in at least one case, “Made in Texas” — despite information suggesting that the products were imported in whole or in significant part.

Continue Reading Made in the USA? Prove It: FTC Marks America’s 250th with Crack Down on Domestic Origin Claims

This week the Supreme Court allowed the President to fire Commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) without cause. On the consumer protection side, the FTC proposed a policy statement addressing AI accuracy and approved consent orders for deceptive earnings claims and reviews and for hidden fees. On the competition side, the FTC and Department of Justice (DOJ) issued their Fiscal Year 2025 Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Annual Report. More on these stories after the jump.

Continue Reading FTC Blog Updates (June 29-July 3, 2026)