The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) faces bipartisan pressure. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Rick Scott formally requested a probe into Walmart and Amazon. Concerns center on the retailers' online platforms. These platforms may mislead consumers with false "Made in the USA" product claims.
A Columbia University study supports these concerns. The study suggests AI-powered shopping assistants, Sparky and Alexa, do not adequately verify product country of origin for Walmart and Amazon.
The research alleges both companies possess technology to prevent such mislabeling. It claims they made a "business decision" not to implement this technology. This potentially harms American manufacturers and deceives customers.
Separately, a Walmart affiliate filed with the SEC. The filing concerns the resale of shares acquired through a stock award.