NACDS applauds House introduction of INFORM Consumers Act

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores today praised the introduction of the INFORM Consumers Act (H.R. 5502), legislation introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla. The bill is focused on promoting safety, transparency and accountability in e-commerce marketplaces.

NACDS said the introduction of the bipartisan legislation marks a crucial step forward in combating organized retail crime networks. It would protect online consumers from illicit products and fraud and would protect in-store consumers and store teams from criminal activity. 

The bill also seeks to promote the health and safety of consumers by requiring online retail marketplaces to verify high-volume third-party sellers of new, unused goods on their platforms and to provide consumers with basic business information and contact details on third-party sellers.

[Read more: NACDS lauds legislation protecting consumers, retailers in e-commerce marketplaces] 

“The introduction of the INFORM Consumers Act in the U.S. House of Representatives is a positive development in our efforts to combat organized retail crime and to safeguard consumers who are shopping online,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “Importantly, the introduction of the bipartisan legislation is also a major step toward a strong final bill that can be signed into law. NACDS commends Representatives Schakowsky, D-Ill. and Bilirakis, R-Fla. for their leadership on the issue and for their sponsorship of legislation which would bring more accountability and transparency to digital marketplaces — and critically — protect unsuspecting customers from criminal enterprises.”

A Senate companion bill – S.936 – was introduced in March 2021 with the bipartisan support of Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Mazie Hirono, (D-HI.); Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Chris Coons, D-Del., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Organized retail crime and the INFORM Consumers Act were among the priority issues on which NACDS leadership and pharmacy advocates presented during the virtual 2021 NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill event in March 2021.

Following NACDS’ virtual fly-in event, Morning Consult published an opinion piece by Anderson entitled “How Congress Can Make Consumer Safety a Top Priority in 2021” and urging the introduction of the INFORM Consumers Act.