Franchisees and franchisors welcome a new approach and change of direction from overreach of current leadership; IFA pledges to work constructively with the Commission to modernize the Franchise Rule to promote responsible franchising practices

WASHINGTON – Today, the International Franchise Association (IFA) issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Andrew N. Ferguson to serve as chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Mark R. Meador to serve as commissioner:

“Franchisees and franchisors welcome new leadership at the FTC and celebrate the return of an FTC that respects the boundaries of its authority,” said Matthew Haller, IFA President and CEO. “We look forward to being a resource to Chair Ferguson and the Commissioners to ensure policymaking is narrowly tailored and supported by data to address actual harms to competition and consumers, a strategy disfavored under the recent FTC regime. We stand ready to support the FTC in modernizing disclosure requirements under the Franchise Rule to protect consumers, small business owners and the entire franchise model, as we put forward in our Responsible Franchising principles this year. IFA, along with the full range of the franchise community, bipartisan lawmakers and state regulators have long sought improvements to the Franchise Rule to ensure franchising can continue to be the engine of economic growth it is.” 

In May 2024, IFA released new Responsible Franchising principles to serve as a roadmap for improved disclosure for franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers – ultimately seeking to build stronger franchise relationships and provide prospective franchisees with more robust information before they make an investment decision. Following this announcement and the FTC’s Policy Statement and Staff Guidance, IFA submitted formal comments urging the Commission to respect the boundaries of its authority and adhere to its rulemaking requirements. 

 

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