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Dumb Ways To Lie

We recently announced that three major mall stores continue to sell lead-tainted purses, belts and shoes, even years after they agreed to stop.

Many of you sent emails to the stores to demand change. If you emailed the companies, you may have received a response from one. The response from Wet Seal CEO Steve Benrubi claims the company is doing their best. Steve claims that their lead testing program leads the industry. He says the company is committed to product safety.

There’s nothing untruthful in Steve’s email – it’s what he doesn’t say that worries us. We wonder why he can’t explain how his “industry leading” testing program is so flawed. We wonder why he doesn’t describe how he’s going to change to address the problem. We wonder why he didn’t offer an apology for the company’s failure to protect consumers from lead-tainted products.

See what you think – read the company’s response, and our reply here.