From our president

This monthly letter to subscribers from Consumers Union President Jim Guest highlights the critical consumer issues behind our current reports. See archived letters.

A milestone moment

As we launch our 75th anniversary year, I'd like to note proudly that in our early days, Good Housekeeping magazine accused us of prolonging the Depression by destroying confidence in the institution of advertising. And Women's Home Companion called us "a burrowing shrimp undermining the American way of life."

We may not have had fans in our competitors, but from the start, consumers felt differently.

In depth and independent

In 1936 a small band of dedicated idealists fused scientific rigor with unsinkable courage and complete freedom from conflict of interest. The result? Consumers Union Reports, a radical magazine that presented scientific judgments, comparative ratings, and investigative research in a format that readers could easily use.

The fledgling organization had little money, but it worked to build up a different kind of currency: trust and credibility. Products were tested on a level playing field, and the resulting ratings were insulated from bias and favoritism because Consumers Union refused advertising and free samples.

We didn't hesitate to tell the truth about products and services or the companies that made or sold them. The goal was to change the marketplace into one that treated consumers fairly and offered them safe, affordable, high-quality products and services.

And now, 75 years later, that's still our goal. Consumers Union was born with a rebel spirit and the boldness to do our work unintimidated by outside pressures. Our sole constituency was, and still is, the consumer.

This year we'll be celebrating that rich history and the trust we're honored to have earned. We kick off the effort with this month's special fold-out cover that honors yesteryear's magazine and testing. See 75 years bold, and you can share in many memorable moments that in part define Consumers Union.

On our 75th anniversary, we mark the progress we—and millions of consumers like you—have made and will continue to make on our way to 100.

Jim Guest
President