Online shoppers who bought certain Pyrex measuring cups in recent years may be eligible for a refund.

The Federal Trade Commission announced it is issuing a total of $88,000 in refunds to consumers who bought glass measuring cups advertised as "Made in USA" that were actually imported from China. Instant Brands, which manufactures Pyrex kitchen and home products, agreed to certain stipulations in 2023 after the FTC took legal action against the company for the false claim.

According to the agency, demand for the popular glass measuring cups became so great in 2020 during the pandemic that Instant Brands shifted production to China while continuing to market them as being manufactured in the U.S.

Here's how to know if you bought one of the measuring cups and how to apply for a refund.

Some Pyrex cups advertised as 'Made in USA' were imported from China

Instant Brands has long used the U.S. manufacturing of its Pyrex products as a selling point, advertising its glassware as "Made in USA."

But when consumer interest in home baking spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company struggled to keep up with the demand for its glass measuring cup sets sold on Amazon. As a result, the FTC claims Instant Brands produced some Pyrex cups in China from March 2021 to May 2022.

The company continued to market the products on Amazon as “Made in USA” even though the cups themselves were marked “Made in China,” according to the FTC.

The FTC took action against Instant Brands in 2023, claiming that more than 110,000 units of Chinese-made measuring cup sets were sold to U.S. consumers. Instant Brands later agreed to a settlement that required the company to stop "making deceptive claims" and included a $129,416 fine, according to the agency.

“Consumers rely on marketers to make truthful ‘Made in USA’ claims,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a previous statement. “If marketers move their manufacturing outside the United States, even temporarily, they must update their advertising to make it accurate.”

USA TODAY left a message Monday morning with Instant Brands that was not immediately returned.

Thousands of shoppers to get checks from FTC

The FTC is sending checks to 10,259 consumers.

Those who think they're among them shouldn't have to take any action to receive a check.

Once checks arrive, recipients should cash them within 90 days. Those with questions about payments should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 833-244-7320, or visit the FTC website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

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