Press Release

March 17, 2022

Media Contact: media@buysafeamerica.org  

Buy Safe America Coalition Applauds Colorado INFORM Legislation 
Colorado Becomes Latest State to Bolster Transparency on E-Commerce Platforms

Washington, DC – Today, the Buy Safe America Coalition, a diverse group of retailers, consumer groups, wholesaler-distributors, manufacturers, and law enforcement officials that support efforts to combat organized retail crime and protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jared Polis signing HB22-1099. 

"This legislation is a huge win for Colorado consumers and businesses. By bringing transparency and accountability to leading e-commerce platforms, shoppers will now have a safeguard in place to protect against the counterfeit and stolen products that have been running rampant on these platforms for too long," said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. "We applaud Governor Polis and state legislators for recognizing the need for action and enacting this commonsense solution in Colorado."

HB22-1099 closely mirrors the INFORM Consumers Act, federal legislation that would require online marketplaces to verify the identities of high-volume third-party sellers. It passed in the U.S. House in February as part of the America COMPETES Act.

Colorado has been hit especially hard by retail theft, with state businesses seeing over $642 million in losses and over 9,000 lost jobs due to this criminal activity. Last year, Colorado law enforcement officials uncovered a multimillion-dollar scheme involving thieves stealing products from retailers and selling the merchandise on online marketplaces. 

"State leaders nationwide should follow Gov. Polis’ lead and enact their own versions of this common-sense legislation. Attorneys general should look to states like Florida and New Mexico, which have launched organized retail crime task forces that will clamp down on professional theft. And, Congress should establish a national framework for e-commerce transparency by passing the INFORM Consumers Act and bringing it to President Biden’s desk this year," added Hanson. 

Visit BuySafeAmerica.org for more information about the growing threat of stolen and counterfeit goods and solutions to better protect consumers and businesses.

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The Buy Safe America Coalition represents a diverse group of responsible retailers, consumer groups, manufacturers, intellectual property advocates and law enforcement officials who support efforts at all levels of government to protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods. The coalition is urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act — legislation that has multi-industry and bipartisan support to combat counterfeit and stolen products sold online.