FTC, 2 Southland Firms Settle Ad-Claims Case

Leeka Products of Glendale and Kave Elahie of Simi Valley, which does business as M.E.K. International, have settled, along with one company from New York and another from Puerto Rico, with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that they made unsubstantiated claims about their products in Spanish-language advertising. The settlement terms require that the companies no longer make claims that are unsubstantiated or that are not based on sound science and research. The settlements are part of a new initiative known as Campana Alerta, which seeks to protect Spanish-speaking consumers from fraudulent ads. It is a joint effort among the Mexican government, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the FTC. The initiative includes law-enforcement actions and a public-education program.