COOL Online Act
1/13/2025, 9:34 PMSummary of Bill HR 6299
Bill 118 hr 6299, also known as the COOL Online Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress. The purpose of this bill is to require online retailers to disclose the country of origin of the products they sell on their websites. This information, known as Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), is intended to provide consumers with more transparency about where the products they are purchasing are made.The COOL Online Act would apply to all online retailers, including large e-commerce platforms like Amazon and smaller independent sellers. These retailers would be required to prominently display the country of origin for each product on their website, making it easier for consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
Supporters of the bill argue that COOL labeling is important for consumers who want to know where their products are coming from and make choices based on factors like quality, safety, and ethical considerations. They believe that online retailers should be held to the same standards as brick-and-mortar stores, which are already required to provide COOL information. Opponents of the bill, however, argue that it could place an undue burden on online retailers, particularly smaller businesses that may not have the resources to comply with the new labeling requirements. They also raise concerns about the potential for increased costs for consumers if retailers pass on the costs of compliance. Overall, the COOL Online Act is a proposed piece of legislation that aims to increase transparency in online retail by requiring country of origin labeling for products sold on websites. Supporters believe it will empower consumers to make more informed choices, while opponents raise concerns about potential burdens on retailers and costs for consumers.
Congressional Summary of HR 6299
COOL Online Act
This bill requires online sellers of imported products to conspicuously disclose in online listings each product’s country of origin. The requirement generally applies to products that must be physically labeled with their country of origin under current law. Some agricultural products, food and drugs, and previously owned items are exempt, as are certain low-volume sellers. Listings for certain nonprescription drugs must include additional information currently required to be included on the drug’s packaging.
The bill specifies that online stores and marketplaces are not liable for violations of these provisions where they provided third-party sellers or suppliers with notice of the requirement and means to post the required disclosure. (Under the bill, an online marketplace is a consumer-directed online platform that enables third parties to sell products to consumers.) An online marketplace retains liability where the marketplace itself sells a product, rather than facilitating a third-party sale. Sellers are not liable where an online marketplace did not provide them with notice of the requirement or means to post the required disclosure.
The Federal Trade Commission must enter into an agreement with specified federal agencies with respect to implementation of these provisions. These provisions take effect one year after such an agreement is published.
Separately, the bill adds cooked king crab and tanner crab and cooked and canned salmon to the list of seafood products for which retailers must inform consumers of the product’s country of origin at the final point of sale.
