The most we’ve ever received from an airline for being stuck on the tarmac for hours was some water and repeated assurances that we’d be moving shortly. But not so for passengers on one diverted Frontier Airlines flight where the pilot treated everyone on board to free pizza. [More]
Food & Personal Care
41% Of U.S. Homes Are Now Wireless-Only
By 7.8.14
Ten years ago, only about 1-in-20 American homes were cellphone-only. By 2010, that rate had soared to 1-in-5. And according to the newest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of U.S. homes that have ditched landlines completely has doubled since 2010, and now stands at 41%. [More]
Foster Farms Recalls Chicken After USDA Inspectors Finally Link It To Salmonella Case
By 7.7.14
Nearly a year and a half after people began falling ill from an antibiotic-resistent strain of salmonella, one chicken production company is recalling a small number of their fresh chicken products. However, some consumer advocates say Foster Farm’s recall doesn’t go far enough to protect consumers. [More]
Going Beyond The Tongs: The Ham Dogger, Pizza Oven Box And Other Grilling Gadgets
By 7.3.14 — Updated: 6.30.17
You’ve got your apron, your tongs and your basic tools to turn, poke and otherwise keep your meats, veggies and other grilling ingredients happy while you cook up a summer feast. But you’re not limited by the usual fare of basic hamburgers, kebabs and hot dogs. Not with things like a pizza oven box and a plethora of other unnecessary but nonetheless existing gadgets. [More]
Why These 5 Pro-Consumer Bills Won’t Become Law In 2014
By 7.3.14
Back in January, at the dawn of the year, we gazed into our not-quite-crystal ball and took a look at some pieces of pending legislation that could help consumers this year. Now, in July, we’re at the halfway point of the year, and so it’s a good time to take a look at those bills and see how the wheels of government have turned in 2014. [More]
Could A Fungus Extract Take Away Drug-Resistant Superbugs’ Super Powers?
By 7.2.14
We’ve written several stories stories over the years asking farmers to stop feeding unnecessary antibiotics to their animals, but it’s not because we object to the taste of penicillin. It’s because study after study has shown that the over-use of antibiotics contributes to the development of so-called superbugs, bacteria that are resistant to the very drugs intended to kill them. But researchers in Canada may have found a way to reverse that resistance. [More]
Target Asks Shoppers Not To Bring Guns Into Its Stores
By 7.2.14
Target added its name to the list of companies asking customers not to bring guns into its stores. [More]
While Other Restaurant Chains Cut Down On Sodium, KFC Meals Have Been Getting Saltier
By 7.2.14
With an increased concern about the role high sodium levels play in high blood pressure, kidney disease and other health issues, a number of restaurant chains have been attempting to cut back on the salt in recent years. A new review of meals from 17 of the nation’s most popular fast food and family eateries shows that most chains are slowly reducing the amounts of sodium in their food (though it’s still very high), while a small number of others have actually gone the other direction. [More]
Newsstand Barred From Selling Coffee After Starbucks Moves Into Building
By 7.2.14
If you’re a Starbucks fan, you’d probably be pleased when one of the coffee chain’s stores opens up in your office building. But does the existence of that new java joint mean that no one else in the building should be able to sell hot, caffeinated beverages? [More]
Sbarro Is The Worst Fast Food Chain In America Because Its Food Doesn’t Taste “Fresh”
By 7.2.14
Whether you’re a burger guy or a burrito gal, you’ve probably got your favorite fast food joints. But in the interest of finding a culinary consensus, our best buds at Consumer Reports decided to make it official with a new survey of readers who chowed down on 96,208 meals at 65 chains. And um, we’ve got some bad news for you, Sbarro (clears throat awkwardly). [More]
Here’s Why The FDA’s Antibiotics-In-Agriculture Policy Is A Charade
By 6.30.14
Imagine you’re one of only a handful of businesses in the U.S. making a very profitable and lucrative product. Then come new rules that should have the effect of slashing your business drastically and probably weeding out what little competition there is in the market. You’d fight back, especially if you’re part of an industry that is known for tossing money around to get what you want. So why is the drug industry not up in arms about the FDA policy aimed at curbing the use of antibiotics in farm animals? Because it’s not doing anything. [More]
Doctors Call For End To Fattening Farm Animals With Antibiotics
By 6.27.14
While the beef, pork and drug industry likes to claim there isn’t enough science to merit a ban on the medically unnecessary use of antibiotics in farm animal feed, the nation’s largest group of physicians doesn’t quite see it that way. [More]
Best Buy Provides Pizza, Asks Employees To Contact Congress About E-Fairness Bill
By 6.25.14
“When I was at work today I went to the breakroom to relax, only to walk in to see a guy from the corporate office and [a] pizza,” writes reader S. Who doesn’t like free food in the breakroom at work? S. found that pizza’s side dish distasteful: a request for store employees to call their representative in Congress about a piece of pending legislation that’s important to Best Buy’s survival. [More]
New Law Would Give USDA Authority To Recall Contaminated Meat & Eggs
By 6.25.14
The current, vague laws regarding what constitutes “adulterated” meat, poultry or eggs have hamstrung the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, leaving the agency unsure whether it has the authority to recall food that contains drug-resistant pathogens. A new law introduced in the House today aims to clarify what constitutes “adulterated” meat, thus giving the USDA the legal standing it needs to issue much-needed recalls. [More]
Map Shows Americans Which Major Burger Chain Is Nearest
By 6.25.14
Now that we know where all the bars are (hey, Wisconsin), where’s an American supposed to get a burger after a few beers? It’s back to the maps, with this handy illustration of which of the seven major burger chains is closest, depending on where you live. Mmm, crunching numbers. [via FlowingData.com] [More]
FDA Warns Of Rare, Potentially Dangerous Hypersensitivity To Popular Acne Products
By 6.25.14
Citing more than 100 reports — most of them since 2012 — of hypersensitivity to common acne medications like Proactiv, Neutrogena, Oxy, Aveeno, Clean & Clear and others, the FDA has issued a warning to consumers that these products can cause “rare but serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions or severe irritation.” [More]
The Inside Of A Coke Freestyle Machine Looks Like A Complicated Inkjet Printer
By 6.25.14
Here at Consumerist, we enjoy the Coke Freestyle soda machine, because if we’re going to drink one or two soft drinks per month, by gosh at least one of them should be strawberry-peach Sprite. Yet we never wondered what’s inside the machine, other than magic. Until now. [More]
Limeade Oreos Will Be Your Refreshing Summer Cookie
By 6.24.14
Can’t get enough refreshing fruit-flavored Oreos? Have you made your way through lemon, watermelon, and fruit punch flavored sandwich cookies, and you’re ready to try a new (but not terribly different) flavor? Great news! Limeade Oreos are here. [More]
