The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has been interested in pursuing amendments to the Negative Option Rule for several years. In 2019, the FTC published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPR”), soliciting public comment on certain issues related to negative options and automatic renewal contracts, including disclosures, consent, and cancellation. Following receipt of such comments, the FTC issued an Enforcement Policy Statement Regarding Negative Option Marketing in 2021. Now, in its latest and potentially most impactful effort, the FTC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”), proposing several specific changes to the Negative Option Rule, as the existing rule was woefully out of date.
* Rachel Gold is a law clerk in the Corporate/Securities Law practice group.
Panera Bread Company (“Panera”) is facing a class action lawsuit that alleges its Unlimited Sip Club (“Club”) is in fact not so unlimited. According to Panera’s own promotional materials, the Club is a refill program where members pay $10.99 per month for access to lemonade, soda, coffee, and tea drinks of “any size” at “any time.”
On July 1, 2022, California Assembly Bill 390 will take effect, adding new notice and cancellation requirements to California’s existing Automatic Renewal Law (“ARL”).
Weight-loss app Noom has agreed to make substantial changes to its enrollment processes and pay $56 million, in addition to providing $6 million in subscription credits, in order to resolve a federal court case where the plaintiffs alleged that the company utilized deceptive automatic renewal tactics.
Happy holidays! We hope you are safe and healthy. As we enter the new year, Olshan’s Advertising and Branding law groups shares their list of hot topics that look to be on the horizon for 2022. If you have any questions on these or other issues, please reach out to us.
On July 9, 2021, the Colorado Governor signed Colorado House Bill No. 1239 into law, resulting in Colorado becoming the latest state to enact new automatic renewal and cancellation procedures applicable to consumer sales contracts. In addition to addressing general automatic renewal contracts, the new Colorado law establishes certain requirements regarding the execution and enforcement of dating service contracts.
Olshan’s Advertising, Marketing & Promotions Practice Group chair Andrew Lustigman and associate Morgan Spina have authored an article published in NYSBA Inside entitled “Check Your Enrollment Path: New York Enacts Comprehensive Automatic Renewal Law.”
Class-action lawsuit seeks recovery of fees obtained through subscription renewal plan.
Vermont, which already has one of the most unique automatic renewal laws on the books, has further increased the compliance obligations for sellers utilizing continuity arrangements. On March 5, 2020, Governor Phil Scott signed Vermont Senate Bill 110 into effect. This new law primarily tackles issues surrounding privacy, but also updates Vermont’s automatic renewal provisions to bring cancellation of consumer contracts in line with California’s online requirements. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2020.
In the wake of several state-enacted regulations and restrictions on automatic renewal provisions in consumer contracts, on May 10, 2019, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the federal Unsubscribe Act of 2019, H.R. 2683, to increase consumer protection with respect to online negative option agreements. Negative option agreements include by definition automatic renewal contracts, continuity plan contracts and free-to-pay conversion contracts.
Following other states that have recently enacted regulations and additional restrictions on automatic renewal provisions in consumer contracts, on April 9, 2019, North Dakota House Bill 1195, which enacts a new chapter of the North Dakota Century Code relating to certain marketing practices involving automatic renewal, was signed by Governor Doug Burgum and filed with the Secretary of State.
As we have discussed in previous blog posts, subscription-based business models and the automatic renewal techniques they popularly employ have garnered attention from regulators in recent years. The District of Columbia has now passed its own law regulating automatic renewals. With the passage of this law, D.C. joins many other states in requiring specific disclosures from advertisers who utilize automatic renewals as an integral part of their business model. The law has provisions similar to those in certain states, but also has important timing requirements.
Reflecting California’s continuing challenge to automatic renewal programs, direct marketing firm, Guthy-Renker, agreed to settle claims brought by multiple California city and district attorneys (CART) alleging that the direct marketing firm engaged in improper automatic renewal practices with respect to its sale of ProActiv skin products and Wen hair products.
Many online ecommerce companies operate on a subscription model. Such companies need to be cognizant of federal and state laws governing advertising and enrollment in continuous service plans. The failure to consider particular state requirements can have significant consequences given the aggressive plaintiffs’ bar. A recent federal-court approved settlement between Yahoo Inc. and users of Rivals.com highlights this exposure.
Following up on other states recently enacting additional restrictions on automatic renewal provisions, on May 28, 2018, Vermont House Bill 593, an omnibus consumer protection bill, was allowed to go into effect without the signature of Governor Phil Scott, making Vermont the first state to require a “double opt-in” with respect to automatic renewal provisions.
Andrew Lustigman published an article in Leading Internet Case Law entitled “eHarmony Settlement Illustrates Changes Required in E-Commerce Subscriptions Programs.”
Many marketers rely on advance consent auto-renewal programs, particularly for online subscription sign-ups. In the wake of the booming subscription-based business model and a rise in class action filings under state automatic renewal laws, many states are enacting or updating their laws to strengthen consumer protection. California’s recently enacted Senate Bill 313 enhances what was already one of the most stringent auto-renewal laws in the nation.
Lustigman discusses the challenges of advance consent in Inside Counsel article.
Georgia has recently passed new legislation aimed at regulating the use of automatic renewal provisions in service contracts.