Sharper Image Drops Lawsuit Against Consumers Union

Sharper Image Corp. has paid Consumers Union (CU), publisher of Consumer Reports, $525,000 to cover attorneys fees and other costs, ending a lawsuit against the nonprofit organization. Sharper Image sued CU for product disparagement after Consumer Reports described Sharper Image’s Ionic Breeze® Quadra air cleaner as ineffective in its October 2003 issue. A U.S. district court dismissed the suit when Sharper Image was unable to disprove the analysis. Further, the lawsuit revealed that Sharper Image had paid a researcher a $6,000 monthly retainer for research supporting the sale of the Ionic Breeze. “Sharper Image’s decision to withdraw its appeal puts an end to a lawsuit that should never have been filed, over reviews that were truthful, carefully researched, and fairly stated,” says Jim Guest, CU president. More information on air filtration and the Ionic Breeze is in EBN

Vol. 12, No. 10.