16 C.F.R. § 502.100 “Cents-off” representations.
Title 16 - Commercial Practices
(a) The term cents-off representation means any printed matter consisting of the words “cents-off” or words of similar import, placed upon any packaging containing a consumer commodity or placed upon any label affixed to such commodity, stating or representing by implication that the commodity is being offered for sale at a price lower than the ordinary and customary retail sale price. (b) Except as set forth in §502.101 of this part, the package or label of a consumer commodity shall not have imprinted thereon by a packager or labeler a “cents-off” representation unless: (1) The commodity has been sold by the packager or labeler at an ordinary and customary price in the most recent and regular course of business in the trade area in which the “cents-off” promotion is made, either to the trade in the event such commodity is not sold at retail by the packager or labeler, or to the public in the event such commodity is sold at retail by the packager or labeler. (2) The packager or labeler sells the commodity so labeled (either to the trade in the event such commodity is not sold at retail by the packager or labeler, or to the public in the event such commodity is sold at retail by the packager or labeler) at a reduction from his ordinary and customary price, which reduction is at least equal to the amount of the “cents-off” representation imprinted on the commodity package or label. (3) Each “cents-off” representation imprinted on the package or label is limited to a phrase which reflects that the price marked by the retailer represents the savings in the amount of the “cents-off” the retailer's regular price, e.g., “Price Marked is __¢ Off the Regular Price”. “Price Marked is __ Cents-off the Regular Price of This Package”; provided, the package or label may in addition bear in the usual pricing spot a form reflecting a space for the regular price, the represented “cents-off” and a space for the price to be paid by the consumer. (4) The packager or labeler who sells the commodity at retail displays the regular price, designated as the “regular price”, clearly and conspicuously on the package or label of the commodity or on a sign, placard, or shelf-marker placed in a position contiguous to the retail display of the “cents-off” marked commodity, and the packager or labeler who does not sell at retail provides the retailer with a sign, placard, shelf-marker, or other device for the purpose of clearly and conspicuously displaying the retailers regular price, designated as “regular price”, in a position contiguous to the “cents-off” marked commodity. (5) The packager or labeler: (i) Does not initiate more than three “cents-off” promotions of any single size commodity in the same trade area within a 12-month period; (ii) Allows at least 30 days to lapse between “cents-off” promotions of any particular size packaged or labeled commodity in a specific trade area; and (iii) Does not sell any single size commodity so labeled in a trade area for a duration in excess of 6 months within any 12-month period. (6) Sales by the packager or labeler of any single size commodity so labeled in a trade area do not exceed in volume fifty percent (50%) of the total volume of sales of such size commodity in the same trade area during any 12-month period. The 12-month period used by the packager or labeler may be the calendar, fiscal, or market year provided the identical period is applied in this paragraph (b)(6) and paragraph (b)(5) of this section. Volume limits may be calculated on the basis of projections for the current year but shall not exceed 50 percent of the sales for the preceding year in the event actual sales are less than the projection for the current year. (c) A packager or labeler will not make a “cents-off” promotion available in any circumstances where he knows or should have reason to know that it will be used as an instrumentality for deception or for frustration of value comparison, e.g., where the retailer charges a price which does not fully pass on to the consumers the represented price reduction or where the retailer fails to display the regular price in the display area of the “cents-off” marked product. Nothing in this rule, however, should be construed to authorize or condone the illegal setting or policing of retail prices by a packager or labeler in situations where he does not sell to the public. (d) A packager or labeler who sponsors a “cents-off” promotion shall prepare and maintain invoices or other records showing compliance with this section. The invoices or other records required by this section shall be open to inspection by duly authorized representatives of this Commission and shall be retained for a period of 1 year subsequent to the end of the year (calendar, fiscal, or market) in which the “cents-off” promotion occurs. [36 FR 23057, Dec. 3, 1971]
Title 16: Commercial Practices
PART 502—REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 5(C) OF THE FAIR PACKAGING AND LABELING ACT
Retail Sale Price Representations
§ 502.100 “Cents-off” representations.
