Sales of Barbie fell 12 percent in the U.S. as the 49-year- old doll faced competition from Hannah Montana and Ganz’s Webkinz. Mattel, which recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made products in 2007, expects Chinese manufacturing costs to rise further. The yuan has climbed 10 percent against the dollar over the past 12 months, and inflation in China is near an 11-year high.
Transportation & Infrastructure
![Toyota Announces Tacoma Buyback Program For Severe Rust Corrosion](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/con_fakerustytacoma.jpg?w=300&h=146&crop=1)
Toyota Announces Tacoma Buyback Program For Severe Rust Corrosion
If you own a Tacoma made between 1995 and 2000, Toyota would like to inspect it free of charge—and if the rust corrosion is severe enough, they will either repair the truck on their dime or buy it back as a vehicle in “excellent condition” no matter what state it’s really in. Toyota announced this a little over a month ago and said thy would start sending letters to Tacoma owners in the weeks to come, so if you haven’t received yours yet, be on the lookout for it.
![Malt-O-Meal, Puffed Rice Cereal Recalled For Salmonella](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/salmonellapuffd.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Malt-O-Meal, Puffed Rice Cereal Recalled For Salmonella
The recalled products were distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private label brands including Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. The cereals have “Best If Used By” dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as “APR0808”) through March 18, 2009 (coded as “MAR1809”).
![Apple's MagSafe Adapters Still Fraying, Melting, Sucking](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/con_badmagsaferatings.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Apple's MagSafe Adapters Still Fraying, Melting, Sucking
Apple’s perpetually melting and fraying MagSafe adapters—apparently these things are made out of Styrofoam and rice paper—continue to cause trouble.
![Comcast Is Worse Than The New Jersey DMV](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/comcastpayless.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Comcast Is Worse Than The New Jersey DMV
Here’s sad news– Comcast has worse customer service than the New Jersey DMV.
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Snapshot of the economy: Small car sales up in March, SUV sales down. Those experiencing the biggest deltas? Toyota Yaris:up 83.2%, Nissan Titan: down 44.9% [Kicking Tires]
![Let's Celebrate Easter With A Lead Contamination Recall!](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/happyeaster.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Let's Celebrate Easter With A Lead Contamination Recall!
The CPSC would like you to know that the Hobby Lobby has a couple easter-themed recalls.
![Honda Ignores Civic SI Owners' Complaints About Faulty Transmissions](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/hondasoldmydadalemon.jpg?w=178&h=135&crop=1)
Honda Ignores Civic SI Owners' Complaints About Faulty Transmissions
A bunch of Honda owners are mad because they think Honda should issue a recall on their cars due to their transmission, things like randomly deciding to pop out of third gear into neutral and not fully engaging. When these owners confront Honda, the car company kept saying “we’ve never heard of the problem before,” despite numerous complaints being sent in, and dealers say they “can’t replicate” the problem. There’s a writeup of the whole problem at AutomotiveTech.org, a list of message board forum members with the problem, and now, Fox 6 San Diego picked up on it after angry owners organized a protest at a local dealership. Suddenly, Honda’s tune has changed, and they’re “aware of the problem” and “investigating.” Video after the jump.
![Cow Abuse Meatpacking Boss Reluctantly Admits To Tainting The Food Supply](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/sickcows.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Cow Abuse Meatpacking Boss Reluctantly Admits To Tainting The Food Supply
The president of a slaughterhouse at the heart of the largest meat recall denied under oath on Wednesday, but then changed his mind, that his company introduced sick cows into the food supply, says the NYT.
![Tainted Heparin May Have Been The Work Of Counterfeiters](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/baxter.jpg?w=120&h=30&crop=1)
Tainted Heparin May Have Been The Work Of Counterfeiters
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today drug counterfeiters may have added a foreign ingredient into Chinese shipments of Baxter’s blood-thinner heparin which has been linked to 19 deaths and 800 illnesses.
![](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/lasagna.jpg?w=50&h=72&crop=1)
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H.J. Heinz Co. is recalling approximately 40,000 cases of Boston Market brand lasagna with meat sauce after realizing that it contained that sketchy recalled cow abuse beef from Westland/Hallmark. [BizJournals]
![Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix Recalled Mysteriously](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/auntjemima.jpg?w=279&h=133&crop=1)
Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix Recalled Mysteriously
Here’s something sort of weird. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is saying that two products, “Aunt Jemima Complete Pancake Mix” and “Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete Pancake Mix” have been “recalled and are under investigation for a possible health risk, according to a press release given out by Dierbergs grocery stores.”
![Watch Out! Exploding Bleach Recalled!](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/kapow.jpg?w=200&h=162&crop=1)
Watch Out! Exploding Bleach Recalled!
Here’s a weird recall that you might care to know about: Fred Meyer and QFC supermarkets have recalled bottles of bleach that could potentially explode when opened, says the Seattle Times.
![Gorton's Recalls Fish After Consumer Finds Pills Inside](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/gortons.jpg?w=258&h=83&crop=1)
Gorton's Recalls Fish After Consumer Finds Pills Inside
Gorton’s said it ordered the recall as a precaution while a laboratory conducts tests to determine the nature of the pills. Those tests should be complete early next week.
![24,000 Cribs Recalled For Faulty Railing](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/crapcrib.jpg?w=200&h=153&crop=1)
24,000 Cribs Recalled For Faulty Railing
The CPSC has announced the recall of 24,000 cribs for a faulty railing that puts children at risk of falling out.
![The Great 2008 Beef Recall's Cow Torturing Villains Revealed](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/professionalcowkillers.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
The Great 2008 Beef Recall's Cow Torturing Villains Revealed
Here are the booking photos of Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., employees, Jose Luis Sanchez and Daniel Navarro. They are both suspects arrested in connection with the animal abuse incident at the slaughterhouse.