Consumer Reports

This week, Consumer Reports advocates attended the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit in Chicago. We engaged with policymakers on the most pressing issues facing consumers today, including: • Online scams, AI harms, & data privacy • Surveillance pricing • Energy efficiency & affordability, including the impact of AI data centers • Unsafe products sold on online marketplaces • Personal care products containing unsafe chemicals For years, CR has partnered with state legislators to provide expert advice and champion consumer protections. For example, CR has published model bills on consumer data privacy, the right to repair, and zombie devices. We’ve also sponsored bills that banned harmful food dyes in school lunches, and bills that ban surveillance pricing. 🔗 Learn more about our state-level advocacy work and policy resources: https://lnkd.in/e8X44tB4 #NCSL #NCSLsummit

Consumers are exposed to hundreds of chemicals in our food every day—some added as ingredients, others migrating in from packaging and processing equipment. A growing body of science shows that when several chemicals target the same organ or system, their effects add up. This is known as a cumulative effect. A 1958 law requires the FDA to weigh these combined effects when it regulates chemicals in food. Yet, the agency took no notable enforcement action until this year. A new report from Consumer Reports and the Environmental Defense Fund examines the science behind cumulative health risks and makes the case for what the FDA must do to keep our food safe. 🔗 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ei5wFpja

Most Americans don't realize AI is already making decisions about their money. It's deciding who gets credit, which claims get paid, what they're charged, and how their accounts get managed. It's happening at scale, mostly out of sight, with little accountability when the technology gets things wrong. Today, Consumer Reports is launching the Consumer Finance AI Standard: the first independent, consumer-centered framework for what people should be able to expect from AI-powered financial products. The standard is built around nine core principles, all answering one fundamental question: Is this product actually working for the consumer? Learn more about the standard and how to build with us here: https://lnkd.in/ept2n-NZ

We are thrilled to share that Consumer Reports, The Guardian US, and the The Food & Environment Reporting Network have received the National Press Club award in the print/online category for “The Price We Pay” investigative package covering pricing inaccuracies at Kroger stores and Instacart’s AI pricing of groceries. Our findings were a core part of CR’s Make the Price Right campaign, which: -Examines potential predatory pricing practices fueled by data collection and algorithms. -Fights to ensure consumers get a fair, transparent deal at checkout. A huge congratulations to the incredible teams involved in uncovering this data. Read the first story in this award-winning package here: https://lnkd.in/eRJBAySs #journalismawards

What if the person next to you paid half as much for the same Uber or Lyft ride? A new monthslong Consumer Reports investigation found that different riders often saw very different prices for the same ride at the same time, and that "discount" on your ride might not be a real deal. We define the same ride as a trip from the same starting point to the same ending point priced at almost the same time—generally within a few minutes of one another and, in many cases, within the same minute. 📊 Our findings: • Across the routes we studied, the median gap between the lowest and highest price groups was 42.4%. • Nearly 12.4% of advertised discounts fell into the category of “may not be the real deal.” • Drivers received less than 57% of fares in our tests. Head to the link below to learn more about our investigation and how we’re urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Uber and Lyft’s pricing tactics.

Our joint investigation with Yuka uncovered concerning findings in everyday foods. 1 in 4 products contained additives in a single serving exceeding daily safety levels identified by U.S. or European health agencies. Nearly 2 in 3 products contained at least one additive exceeding broader levels of concern identified in respected peer-reviewed studies. Many of these additives haven’t been formally reassessed by the FDA in decades. See the full results of our most recent investigation at the link below. https://lnkd.in/eyghepNY

We launched the Permission Slip app in 2022 to give people a simple way to exercise their data rights and push companies for greater accountability. Since its launch, the app has helped users submit nearly 5 million data removal and opt-out requests while providing important insight into how companies respond to consumer privacy demands. We’re excited to announce that Consumer Reports plans to transfer the Permission Slip app to DeleteMe. As an industry leader in the data privacy space, DeleteMe can build on our work with Permission Slip and accelerate its impact. CR remains deeply committed to exposing privacy and security dangers, to helping consumers gain control over their data, and to advancing stronger privacy protections through research, advocacy, and public education.

We are pleased to welcome Neil Chatterjee, a nationally recognized energy and policy expert, to Consumer Reports' Board of Directors. “From the rapid expansion of AI to the increased cost of gas, grocery bills and utilities, people face momentous change and uncertainty,” said Philip Radford, President and CEO of Consumer Reports. “Neil brings fresh perspective and experience that will help guide our work at a time when technology, markets, and policy are reshaping the essentials people rely on every day.”

As any parent knows, shopping for baby products can be time-consuming and expensive. Our experts are here to help—many of us are parents too. All of CR's Top Picks for Baby earned top scores in our rigorous, independent lab tests. Here’s what impressed our experts. See our full list of Top Picks for Baby: https://lnkd.in/gqBB3tZQ #BabyProducts #BabyGear #CRBabyTopPicks #NewParents

Journalist Sarah Kovac joined NPR's Here & Now to discuss her collaboration with Consumer Reports on our adaptive living coverage. This series wasn’t just about people with disabilities—it was written by them. During the segment, Sarah explains a term she coined: "ability drift." It’s the reality that even if you don’t identify as disabled today, your needs and abilities will inevitably change over time. Designing for accessibility isn't niche; it's future-proofing for everyone. Listen to the full interview: https://lnkd.in/g38p6-UM #Accessibility #ConsumerReports #AdaptiveLiving #AbilityDrift