Building a Better World, Together

Poultry is a staple of many American diets, but it often comes with a risk of food poisoning. Each year, some 1.35 million people become ill from salmonella in the U.S., nearly a quarter of them after eating chicken or turkey. A recent CR investigation found salmonella in almost a third of the ground chicken samples we tested. And every strain we found was resistant to at least one antibiotic, which can make infections harder to treat.

Poultry producers can do better: We know, for example, that the problem is partly caused by the crowded conditions in which animals are often raised. Government regulators can do more as well. Though the Department of Agriculture requires poultry processors to test for salmonella, up to 9.8 percent of whole birds, 15.4 percent of parts, and 25 percent of ground chicken are allowed to contain salmonella. And if those levels are exceeded, processors don’t have to stop selling their meat—they just get a warning from the USDA.

CR has long urged the USDA to establish enforceable standards aimed at reducing salmonella. In October, the USDA finally took action, announcing an important new measure that would, among other things, require live poultry to be tested before entering a processing plant, as well as additional testing during the production process. It would also declare salmonella an adulterant in certain cases, making it illegal to sell the contaminated meat and easier for the agency to order recalls.

To join CR in calling on the agency to quickly adopt the new measure, sign our petition to “Reform Outdated Chicken-Safety Rules.”

What’s at stake: When a celebrity hawks a soft drink in a television commercial, we generally understand that they’re being paid for that show of support. Not so on social media, where the line between a sincere expression of enthusiasm for a product and a paid endorsement can be far more blurry. Consumers often have no way to know whether the “influencers” they follow on Instagram and TikTok have themselves been influenced by being paid for their endorsement.

What CR is doing about it: CR has long tried to raise awareness of this problem and encouraged policymakers to protect consumers from being misled by such marketing.

In July, the Federal Trade Commission proposed changes to its so-called Endorsement Guides, which would help. Based partly on input by CR and other consumer organizations, the new rules would, among other things, require “clear and conspicuous” disclosures on posts by paid influencers, and further disclosures if the endorser’s experience is not representative of what consumers will generally get.

CR supports the changes but is pushing for additional enhancements. One would require social media companies to make sure the new guidelines are being followed on their platforms. Another would prohibit marketers from artificially inflating social media engagement by paying for “likes” and followers.

What you can do: In addition to being skeptical about influencer recommendations, read more about CR’s comments regarding the changes to the FTC’s Endorsement Guidelines.

CR president and CEO Marta Tellado has written a new playbook for consumers. It’s called “Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace,” and it shines a light on many high-stakes issues facing consumers, from food safety to digital privacy. The book also offers practical advice, including ways to stay on top of product recalls and strategies for reducing the amount of personal data collected by platforms such as Facebook. You can explore the book, and order a copy, at BuyerAware.CR.org. All proceeds support CR’s work as a nonprofit.