FTC Sues Lights of America Over Concerns with Company's LED Line

The Federal Trade Commision has sued a Lights of America Inc., a California-based light bulb manufacturer, and its principals to "stop them from misleading consumers by exaggerating the light output and life expectancy of its Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs."

According to a release posted on the FTC's website, the agency filed a complaint charging that since 2008, Lights of America has overstated the light output and life expectancy of its LED bulbs on packages and in brochures. The agency also charges that Lights of America misled consumers about how the brightness of its LED bulbs compares to traditional incandescent lights.

The FTC alleges that in many instances, Lights of America's LED bulbs produced significantly less light, as measured in lumens, than the company claimed in its promotional materials. For example, one bulb was promoted as producing 90 lumens of light output, but Lights of America's own tests showed it produced only 43 lumens. The FTC complaint also states that in many instances, Lights of America's LED bulbs would not last as long as the company's promotional materials said they would. In one case, for example, the firm said that one of its LED recessed bulbs would last 30,000 hours, while independent tests showed that the bulb lost 80 percent of its light output after only 1,000 hours.

In filing the complaint, the FTC said it's seeking a permanent injunction to stop the defendants' allegedly illegal conduct, as well as monetary redress for consumers who bought the deceptively labeled products.