New York, NY – Jan. 14, 2020 – Tarkett USA, Inc. stated that it will permanently discontinue certain challenged express claims for its iQ Natural Flooring product in brochures and website advertising, following a challenge before the National Advertising Division by competitor Armstrong Flooring, Inc.

NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation and is a division of the BBB NP’s self-regulatory and dispute resolution programs.

The claims challenged by Armstrong included:

Express Claims:

• “a new plasticizer . . . increases iQ Natural’s total natural and renewable content to 75%” (brochure)
• “iQ Natural is the first homogeneous vinyl flooring made with 75% natural and renewable raw materials.” (brochure)
• iQ Natural sheet flooring includes, “75% natural and renewable raw materials.” (website)

The advertiser advised NAD in writing that it stood by its claims, but had previously made the decision to discontinue the product due to declining sales.  It therefore agreed to permanently discontinue the challenged claims. NAD, relying on the advertiser’s representations that the claims have been permanently discontinued, did not review the claims on their merits.  However, the voluntarily discontinued claims will be treated, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended their discontinuance and the advertiser agreed to comply.

In its advertiser’s statement, Tarkett stated that “As a strong supporter of the industry self-regulatory process, Tarkett thanks NAD for its time and attention on this matter. Tarkett shares NAD’s commitment to transparency.”

About the National Advertising Division (NAD): NAD provides independent self-regulation overseeing the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for truth and accuracy.

About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs (BBB NP) fosters trust, innovation, and competition in the marketplace through the development and delivery of cost-effective, third-party self-regulation, dispute resolution and other programs. The programs were formerly administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. BBB NP is the home of industry self-regulatory and dispute resolution programs that include the National Advertising Division (NAD), National Advertising Review Board (NARB), BBB EU Privacy Shield, BBB AUTO LINE, Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), Children’s Confection Advertising Initiative (CCAI), Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), Digital Advertising Accountability Program (Accountability Program), and the Coalition for Better Advertising Dispute Resolution Program (CBA DRM). The programs are designed to resolve business issues and advance shared objectives by responding to marketplace concerns to create a better customer experience. To learn more about industry self-regulation, please visit: BBBNP.org.