2223140 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

BEFORE THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 

COMMISSIONERS: Lina M. Khan, Chair 

Rebecca Kelly Slaughter 

Christine S. Wilson 

Alvaro M. Bedoya 

In the Matter of 

INSTANT BRANDS LLC, 

a limited liability company. DOCKET NO. 

COMPLAINT 

The Federal Trade Commission, having reason to believe that Instant Brands LLC, a 

limited liability company (“Respondent”), has violated the provisions of the Federal Trade 

Commission Act, and it appearing to the Commission that this proceeding is in the public 

interest, alleges: 

1. Respondent Instant Brands LLC (“Instant Brands”) is a Delaware limited liability 

company with its principal office or place of business at 3025 Highland Parkway, Suite 700, 

Downers Grove, Illinois 60515. 

2. Respondent has manufactured, advertised, labeled, offered for sale, sold, and distributed 

products to consumers, including glass measuring cups, and other glass cooking or baking 

accessories, under the “Pyrex” brand name. 

3. The acts and practices of Respondent alleged in this complaint have been in or affecting 

commerce, as “commerce” is defined in Section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. 

Respondent’s Business Practices 

4. Respondent owns numerous well-known kitchen and houseware brands, including Pyrex, 

Corelle, Corningware, Instant Pot, Snapware, Chicago Cutlery, and Visions, and advertises and 

sells products under these brand names to consumers nationwide. Although some of these 

brands previously operated as independent subsidiaries, as of January 2022, they are 

consolidated as Instant Brands LLC. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. 

Born of innovation. the icon ic 

Pyrex brand evokes some of our 

fondest fam ily food m emories. 

and has had a place in ou r hea rts 

a nd homes for over 100 yea rs. 

Pyrex glassware- made for bot h 

pu rpose and passion- has been 

passed down from genera tion to 

generation. a nd for good reason. 

And our new Pyrex products. 

designed specifically for the ways 

we make and s hare food today. will 

be loved for years to come. 

5. Instant Brands’ Pyrex-branded products include a range of mostly glass baking and 

cooking accessories. The Instant Brands website (https://corporate.instantbrands.com/brands/) 

describes Pyrex as follows: 

Born of innovation, the iconic Pyrex brand evokes 

some of our fondest family food memories, and has 

had a place in our hearts and homes for over 100 

years. Pyrex glassware—made for both purpose 

and passion—has been passed down from 

generation to generation, and for good reason. And 

our new Pyrex products, designed specifically for 

the ways we make and share food today, will be 

loved for years to come. 

6. Instant Brands makes general marketing claims stating or implying all Pyrex glass 

products are of U.S. origin. For example, the company has touted Pyrex’s “made in the USA 

heritage,” and advertised Pyrex products as “Made in USA,” Proudly Made in USA,” “American 

as Apple Pie,” and “1 of 10 products surprisingly still made in America.” 

7. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Instant Brands experienced a spike in demand for 

certain baking products, including U.S.-origin Pyrex-branded glass mixing cups. 1 

8. By early 2021, Instant Brands was unable to meet this demand. 

9. Accordingly, between May 2021 and March 2022, Instant Brands shifted production of 

certain measuring cups from the United States to China. 

10. However, Instant Brands continued to market two Stock Keeping Units (“SKUs”) of 

U.S.-origin measuring cup sets corresponding with two Amazon Standard Identification 

Numbers (“ASINs”) on Amazon.com. 

11. Specifically, throughout the time Instant Brands imported cups from China, marketing 

materials on Amazon.com for SKU 1118990/ASIN B00M2J7PCI (three-piece Pyrex measuring 

1 While stay-at-home orders were in effect, consumer interest in baking surged. A January 2021 survey found 

“nearly one-third of U.S. adults said they [were] baking more often [in 2020 than 2019] and plan[ned] to continue 

doing so. When asked why, 47% said alleviating boredom during the pandemic, 41% said for a fun experience with 

children, and 39% said relaxation.” See Ellen Byron, “Is Baking’s Pandemic Popularity Just a Flash in the Pan,” 

Wall Street Journal (May 25, 2021), available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-bakings-pandemic-popularity-justa-flash-in-the-pan-11621951200. 

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• Mad in th USA 

cup set) and SKU 1118989/ASIN B00M2JVTZ2 (four-piece Pyrex measuring cup set) 

prominently advertised those sets as “Made in USA.” 

12. In total, over a course of months and despite receiving dozens of complaints, Instant 

Brands fulfilled more than 110,000 Amazon.com orders of U.S.-origin measuring cup sets with 

Chinese-origin products. 

13. Additionally, throughout this time, despite importing and selling measuring cups from 

China, Instant Brands continued to publish and disseminate general advertising materials stating 

or implying that all Pyrex products were of U.S. origin. 

14. At all times relevant to this Complaint, Chinese-origin measuring cups were marked 

“Made in China” in red text. 

Respondent’s Claims 

15. Respondent has disseminated or caused to be disseminated advertisements and 

promotional materials for Pyrex measuring cups containing the following statements and 

depictions: 

A. “Made in the USA” 

Amazon.com product page for four-piece measuring cup set. 

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as apple pie 

proudly made 

in the USA 

B. “American as apple pie” “proudly made in the USA.” 

Graphic appearing on Amazon.com and Pyrex.com. 

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a..,.., 

1 of 10 "products surprisingly 

still made in America" 

247wallst.com 

.,,... Plloclo:11.1$• &car. 

~11- ... 1'.1§"1) 

- PyrexHome 

0 When expert chefs and kitchen newbies need an extra 

measure of confidence, they reach for the quality and 

performance of Pyrex. rrom iconic glassware to innovative 

solutions. Ready when you are. Pyrex. See less 

m:11 

0 In 1915. a~ industrious wife of a Coming Glass Works scientist 

was frustrated with her unreliable casserole dish and asked 

him to bring home something she could use in the kitchen. 

Voila, the Pyrex baking dish was bor~! 

Loved for generations, experienced cooks and beginners alike 

have reached for Pyrex@ brand glassware products, because 

they're affordable. durable. and great for all their cooking. 

serving and storing needs. 

For almost 100 years, Pyrex has remained dedicated to 

designing new favorites that help cooks feel successful and 

confident in the kitchen. loday, Pyrex brand glassware 

products can be found in over 80% of American homes. Pyrex 

value our made in the USA heritage and continues to work 

hard to ensure that our products remain a mainstay in 

American kitchens for generations to come. 

C. “1 of 10 products surprisingly still made in America” 

Video posted on an Instant Brands-controlled YouTube page (internal quotation marks omitted). 

D. “Pyrex value[s] our made in the USA heritage and continues to work hard to 

ensure that our products remain a mainstay in American kitchens for generations 

to come.” 

“About” section of Pyrex Facebook page. 

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16. At the time the statements described in Paragraph 15 were published or disseminated, 

certain Pyrex measuring cup sets advertised were wholly manufactured in China. 

Count I 

False or Misleading Representation 

17. In connection with the advertising, promotion, offering for sale, or sale of Pyrex-branded 

three- and four-cup measuring cups in 2021 and 2022, Respondent has represented, directly or 

indirectly, expressly or by implication, that such measuring cups were all or virtually all made in 

the United States. 

18. In truth and in fact, in numerous instances during 2021-2022, Respondent’s Pyrexbranded three- and four-cup measuring cup sets were wholly imported from China. 

19. Therefore, Respondent’s representations as set forth in Paragraph 17 are false or 

misleading. 

Violation of Section 5 

20. The acts and practices of Respondent as alleged in this complaint constitute unfair or 

deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal 

Trade Commission Act. 

THEREFORE, the Federal Trade Commission this _______ day of _______, 20__, has 

issued this Complaint against Respondents. 

By the Commission. 

April J. Tabor 

Secretary 

SEAL: 

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