NAD Finds Issues with Bashlin “Made in USA” Claims

A manufacturer of lineworker equipment will modify or discontinue certain “Made in USA” claims following recommendations by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD), the industry self-regulatory body announced on January 28, 2026.

The challenge, brought by a competitor against Bashlin Industries, Inc., concerned multiple unqualified “Made in USA” claims appearing on products and webpages.

NAD concluded that a claim on a climber product should be modified because consumers could not determine which components “contain more than a negligible amount of content of undetermined origin.”  NAD also found that claims on third-party manufactured bucket knuckle and hat liner products lacked substantiation.  Bashlin’s role as a reseller, NAD notes, does not relieve it of responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of origin claims.

Referencing the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) “all or virtually all” standard, NAD added that an American-made plastic bucket bottom could not be labeled “Made in USA” because consumers could reasonably interpret the claim to apply to the entire bucket.

NAD further recommended that Bashlin stop using an American flag logo and other patriotic imagery unless those elements are “far removed” from product-specific information.  It also determined that “Made in USA” claims in Bashline safety videos constitute national advertising due to their broad distribution and promotional purpose, despite on-screen disclosures.

In its advertiser statement, Bashlin disagreed with NAD’s conclusions but stated that it “supports the self-regulatory process and will seek to comply with its recommendations.”

More on BBB National Programs can be found here.