Following moves to get rid of all artificial food additives from all the food on its menu by the end of the year and announcing that its entire line of soups was free of those additions, Panera Bread says it will also let go of the artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives found in its products sold in grocery stores. [More]
Making Changes
Washington D.C. To Raise Minimum Wage To $15/Hour By 2020
By 6.8.16
While companies like Target, Walmart, and IKEA have been announcing increases to their employee minimum wage one by one, some cities — and states — have take it upon themselves to approve across the board wage increases for residents. Joining the list that already includes Seattle, Los Angeles, and the state of California, the Washington, D.C. council approved a measure that would raise the minimum wage to $15/hour by 2020. [More]
New Rules Aim To Rein In Predatory Payday Lending, But Will They Work?
By 6.2.16
After nearly four years of studying the issue of high-cost, short-term financial products like payday loans, and auto-title loans, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has finally released its proposed rules intended to prevent borrowers from falling into the costly revolving debt trap that can leave people worse off than if they hadn’t borrowed money in the first place. [More]
Walmart Ending Price Matching Of Local Competitors’ Ads At 500 Stores; Won’t Say Which 500
By 5.25.16
From price-matching local and online competitor prices to its own “Savings Catcher” program, Walmart offers customers a variety of ways to save a few buck on their bill. But shoppers at some stores will soon have one fewer option for saving money, as the big box retailer is ditching in-store price matching at 500 locations, though the company currently refuses to say which stores are on that list. [More]
Google Drops Free Fiber Option In Kansas City
By 4.11.16
Ever since Google began providing the residents in Kansas City the option of signing on for its Fiber service in 2011, the tech company has offered a hard-to-refuse deal: pay a one-time installation fee, and you get internet access for free – in some cases up to seven years. But it looks like the almost-free ride is over. [More]
Instagram Revamps Timeline, Will Show Photos By Relevance
By 3.16.16
Instagram is taking a page straight out of its big brother Facebook’s playbook: reconfiguring its timeline to show posts that are most relevant to them first, not those that happened just moments ago. [More]
Sam’s Club Revamping Its Grocery Offerings To Better Compete With Costco, Other Retailers
By 2.25.16
In the past year, Sam’s Club implemented several new polices and services as a way to get customers in the door, from getting into car sales to accepting Visa and American Express credit cards for the first time. Now the warehouse store appears to be taking on a larger segment of its business: groceries, including taking its house brand offerings from 21 to just one. [More]
Delta No Longer Allowing Large Animals To Be Flown As Checked Baggage
By 11.17.15
Flying your favorite furry friend on Delta Air Lines is about to get a little less convenient, and more expensive, starting next year, as the carrier announced that it will no longer allow travelers to ferry their pets from one place to another as checked baggage. [More]
SeaWorld San Diego Will Phase Out “Shamu Show” For One With A “Conservation” Message
By 11.9.15
Even amid growing concern about the safety and welfare of both the animals and their trainers, SeaWorld had remained steadfast in defending its signature “Shamu Show,” with commercials and marketing trying to reassure the public that it was doing right by these large and potentially deadly marine animals. Today, the heavily scrutinized theme park company took a step intended to quiet at least some of its critics. [More]
United Airlines Revamping Boarding Process, Coffee Options
By 10.22.15
With a newly appointed interim CEO at the helm, United Airlines is moving forward with plans to win back customers’ trust: testing a new boarding procedure and revamping one part of its beverage menu. [More]
The Chip-And-PIN Credit Card Era Starts Today. What You Need To Know
By 10.1.15
Over the past few months, you may have noticed more retailers adorning their checkout stands with shiny new credit card readers. While those systems still have an area along the side where you swipe your card’s magnetic strip, they also have a smaller slot (typically) on the front where you simply jam gently insert your card. This is all part of the country’s shift toward more secure, but far from perfect, chip-enabled cards that kicks into high-gear today. [More]
Maker Of Oreos, Chips Ahoy! And Other Snacks Plans To Offer Significantly More Healthy Treats In Five Years
By 9.10.15
Perhaps the introduction of the so-called healthier, more adult-focused Thin Oreos earlier this year was a sign that Mondelez, the maker behind the cookies and a plethora of other snacks, was on the fast track to being a health-conscious brand. [More]
Could Barnes & Noble Stores Be Shrinking? Company Looking At New Formats
By 9.9.15
After years of struggling to maintain sales, Barnes & Noble may be looking to revamp its image, starting with smaller stores. [More]
Next Up For McDonald’s Revamped Menu: McMuffins, Biscuits & Bagels With Real Butter
By 9.1.15
A month after McDonald’s officially beefed up its Quarter Pounder, the fast food giant is poised to make over a few other staples: the English muffin, bagel and biscuit, adding real butter to the ingredient list. [More]
Subway Hoping A New Look Will Help Turn Things Around In 2016
By 8.31.15
Even before the public face of Subway became embroiled in a child pornography scandal, the nation’s largest fast food chain was facing sagging sales and concerns from franchisees about management. The company is now hoping a new look and refreshed menu can help put Subway back on track.
[More]
Amazon Puts A New Limit On How & Who You Can Share Prime Benefits With
By 8.3.15
Amazon appears to be reining in the number of people who share some of their Prime member benefits with others. In a rather stealth move over the weekend, the e-commerce giant reduced the number of people that could share a Prime member’s perks from four to just one other member of their household. [More]
Reports Show NHTSA Failed At First To Properly Investigate GM’s Ignition Switch Defect
By 6.5.15
Recently released internal reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that for nearly a decade the agency did little to adequately address concerns regarding the deadly General Motors ignition switch defect. [More]
Takata President, COO Steps Down To “Unify” Response To Massive Airbag Issues
By 12.24.14
Takata Corp., the auto parts supplier behind the airbags responsible for more than 20 million vehicle recalls, is apparently taking steps to “unify” its response to the massive safety issue by replacing its president and COO. [More]
