Many businesses have sought eco-certification, or legal verification that their products and facilities are environmentally friendly, in order to reduce the environmental damage caused by the production of specific commodities. Because some of these products were of poor quality, Americans are cautious of corporate certificates and warranties, thus simply stating that a product is eco-certified would not entice them to purchase it. Companies must constantly spend more money to meet certain criteria, whether those criteria are established by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, or any other organization, in a pattern that has been observed throughout the last century of economic regulation.