§ 6. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to the unsatisfactory position concerning the labelling of goods, irresponsible distributors are able to pass off on the public napped cotton goods as suede; and whether, as the leather industry is disturbed by such practices, he will instruct the British Standards Institution regarding the urgent necessity of clarifying the position.
§ Mr. H. StraussIt is an offence under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, to apply to goods a false description as to the material of which they are composed or to sell goods to which such false description is applied. Any person can institute proceedings if he considers that the term "suede" is being wrongly applied.
I understand that the British Standards Institution has circulated draft standards for cotton apparel cloths to all interests concerned, including the leather industry, and will, no doubt, consider any comments which may be received.
§ Miss BurtonIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that I know that and that I have seen these drafts? Would he not agree that there is a tendency in advertising to use terms of high quality to describe second-rate goods? Is he further aware that to the shopping public the term "suede" belongs to the leather industry and not to the cotton industry? Would he ask the British Standards Institution to expedite this matter?
§ Mr. StraussI do not think that any requests from my Department are necessary to the British Standards Institution. They are certainly getting on with the job.