Corona Manufacturer Accused Of False Advertising Settles Lawsuit

A Corona manufacturer that was accused of breaking state laws pertaining to false advertising has settled, it was announced today.

TRM Manufacturing Inc. along with separate corporation United Polymers, have agreed to pay $310,000 in civil penalties and other costs to settle the action involving allegations of violations of unlawful business practices laws and false advertising laws, according to a statement released today by Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach’s office.

TRM and La Mirada-based United Polymers are owned by the same family, according to the statement.

The civil complaint alleged that TRM offered for sale and/or sold plastic sheeting and plastic products in less quantity than represented, that it misrepresented the net quantity of contents of packaged commodities, and that both TRM and United Polymers violated the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act pertaining to product labeling requirements, according to the DA’s office.

From March 2010 to April 2013, inspections were done at TRM and United Polymers locations, as well as throughout the state by state and county weights and measures officials, according to the DA’s office.

TRM Manufacturing Inc. had been the subject of three prior enforcement actions involving short weight plastics products in 1988, 1989 and 1996, the statement continued.

The civil lawsuit was filed jointly in Riverside County by the District Attorneys in Riverside, Ventura and Fresno counties.

On Aug. 1, 2013, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Ronald Taylor signed a final judgment ordering TRM and United Polymers pay the $310,000 to settle the action. The corporations also agreed to make changes in their manufacturing procedures and to institute new procedures to comply with the order, according to today’s statement.

The terms of the judgment require that TRM hire an independent auditor to ensure that quality control measures are in place. The requirement of an independent auditor is to ensure that products packaged and/or sold comply with the requirements of packaging and labeling laws, including reasonable weight check protocols to achieve accuracy in packaging and labeling, the statement continued.

As part of the settlement, the corporations agreed to pay Riverside County $79,671 in civil penalties as well as $7,706 in costs. The corporation also must pay $20,727 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Measurement Standards, for the costs of their investigation, according to today’s statement.