Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JANUARY 2017 86 A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S A few months ago, AHAM became aware of the problem of counterfeit and deceptively labeled replacement refrigerator water filters being sold online. These counterfeits are made to look just like those manufactured by legitimate appliance brands, even making illegal use of brand names, logos and product labels. It's hard to measure how many counterfeit and deceptive water filters have been sold, but with a majority of replacement water filters purchased online, it likely is significant. It's primarily an online problem, though we know that some counterfeit and deceptively labeled filters have made it onto the shelves of retailers. The differences are likely undetectable by consumers, who may believe they're just getting a good deal. Deceptively labeled products may claim to remove certain contaminants or may even falsely claim to have been certified. They don't adequately filter water, potentially exposing the consumer to lead or other harmful contaminants. The lack of quality and effectiveness may go unnoticed as well, but the consequences can be severe. These imitations aren't built to fit the specific model of refrigerator and as a result may leak and damage the product or the customer's property. If a consumer does notice the poor quality and attempts to return the product, they may be out of luck, as manufacturers aren't going to be able to assist them with a product they didn't manufacture. Further, the online retailer that sold the deceptive filter may no longer exist, as these online sellers often close down their websites as fast as they go up, all in an effort not to be tracked down. The brands, too, can suffer losses. Consumers who are duped by these often convincing imitations may be left with the impression that the brand produced an inferior product. The health and safety risks created by counterfeit and deceptive filters are real. The NSF/ANSI 53 Drinking Water Treatment Standard requires filters to remove 93.3 percent of lead from water through the filtering of 400 gallons. NSF recently tested counterfeit and deceptive models against those made by a refrigerator manufacturer's brand and found the knock-offs filtered nowhere near that amount of lead. Only the manufacturer's brand met the NSF standard. When this issue was brought to AHAM's attention by several of our members, we were compelled to embark on a campaign to raise awareness of the problem, and disrupt the sales of these products. The "Filter it Out," campaign strives to warn consumers about the risk of purchasing filters from unreliable online vendors and direct them toward trusted sellers. It consists of a website, www.filteritout.org and digital advertising that will target consumers who are searching online for replacement filters. We're emphasizing that while it's okay to purchase replacement filters online, consumers must make informed decisions to ensure they're receiving a quality product. We'll also be working with the media to raise awareness. Filter it Out will also include research to look more deeply into the issue of counterfeit and deceptive filters. AHAM members and national certifiers NSF International, Water Quality Association and IAPMO will be working together to show the inferior quality of counterfeit and deceptive filters and to engage with regulators and officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the ports where products—including the deceptive and counterfeit filters—often enter the country. We'll educate them about the issue and teach them to spot the subtle signs of illegitimate water filters and flag suspicious shipments before they reach retailers. This will be challenging, as a minor difference in weight is sometimes the only external difference between legitimate and counterfeit filters. AHAM is proud to support the Filter It Out campaign, which is one more way we can help increase consumers' confidence that the products appliance manufacturers produce are safe, effective and deliver what they promise. RO TAKING AIM AT COUNTERFEIT WATER FILTERS

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