Behind the Scenes

Veteran news correspondent Lesley Stahl visited our headquarters in Yonkers, NY and Auto Test Center in Colchester, CT for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at what sets CR apart. She interviewed President Marta Tellado, engineers, researchers, and journalists about the advances CR has made in consumer safety, security, and privacy. They showed her a few of our 60 labs where we test thousands of products each year to provide trustworthy purchase advice and advance product design to benefit all consumers.

In the CBS Sunday Morning feature, see how we drop bike helmets to determine which ones survive a crash and which don’t; the custom-made “gunky sauce” we use to test dishwashers; and Stahl’s eye-opening revelations at our auto test track where we evaluate the latest safety technology.

Stahl said, “There’s any number of websites filled with product reviews and recommendations, but really, which ones can you trust? If experience is any test of credibility, Consumer Reports, with its website and magazine, has been testing stuff longer than anyone.”

Watch the CBS Sunday Morning feature here.

In September, CR launched a new online resource with expanded baby product ratings and recommendations for expecting parents and grandparents looking for everything from car seats and strollers to sleep and nursery items and personal care products for the newest little one in their life. CR members will find ratings on more than 1,000 expert-tested products assessed for safety, quality, and performance through our rigorous and scientific testing.

As part of this initiative, we introduced a brand-new Infant Car Seat Finder, which provides individualized recommendations that fit a family’s lifestyle, vehicle, and budget. Our engineers test and rate 100+ options on the market so we can recommend the best choices. Perhaps the most important purchase a parent will make, a safe car seat is a must.

See CR’s new parent resource hub here.

To keep up to date with CR’s latest baby safety news and product testing, sign up for Crib Notes, our new monthly email newsletter. Share it with the expecting parents and caregivers in your life.

In October, CR announced a new powerful tool available to all consumers nationwide to safeguard their privacy. Permission Slip by CR, a free mobile app, helps users regain control of their personal information and request that companies delete or stop selling their data.

On the app, you can swipe through companies that may have your data, and with a simple tap, send a request for the company to delete your account or stop selling your information. Permission Slip currently includes a broad range of industries and companies, such as Amazon, Netflix, Applebee’s, AMC Theatres, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Instacart, and many others.

Because of donors like you, CR is able to develop this app and offer it to everyone who wants to improve their privacy. Tens of thousands of people have used Permission Slip, and hundreds of thousands of requests have been submitted to companies to limit personal data.

The Washington Post reported on Permission Slip here, saying: “This is the privacy app all those snooping companies don’t want you to know about.”

Download Permission Slip by CR here to start exercising your digital rights.

CR is calling on Hershey’s to step up its efforts to reduce the levels of toxic heavy metals from its chocolate products after its latest tests found the company’s cocoa powder, popular for hot chocolate and holiday baking, had concerning levels of lead. Read about our findings in our latest report: A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals.

 CR’s scientists tested 48 different products in seven categories—cocoa powder, chocolate chips, milk chocolate bars, and mixes for brownies, chocolate cake, and hot chocolate. CR also added a few dark chocolate bars to its tests. Products came from big name brands like Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Ghirardelli; national retailers like Costco, Trader Joe’s, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods; and specialty makers like Droste and Navitas.

“Toxic levels of heavy metals like lead and cadmium shouldn’t be found in our favorite chocolate products,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports. “Our tests have found that other brands have succeeded in producing chocolate products with lower levels of heavy metals that are safer for consumers. As a leading and popular brand, it’s time for Hershey’s to make a firm, time-bound commitment to get dangerous levels of heavy metals out of its chocolate products.”   

Take action by signing CR’s petition to Hershey’s here.

Our annual report for fiscal year 2023 gives us the opportunity to thank you for the extraordinary support and trust you’ve given Consumer Reports. We’ve celebrated some big wins this past year, including landmark laws for safer products and new consumer rights. And with your help, we continue to work for meaningful solutions to some of the most persistent problems in the marketplace, from toxins in our food to the exploitation of our most private data.

CR members, donors, and activists have sent more than 854,000 signatures and emails to policymakers and company CEOs to advocate for reforms, including digital rights, financial fairness, safety, and sustainability.

CR has been leading the charge to make food safer and remove toxic chemicals like Red Dye No. 3, which can be found in 2,900 food products. In a major victory, California passed the CA Food Safety Act, the first law in the U.S. to ban four harmful chemicals from candy, cereal, soda and other processed food sold and produced in the state.

In October, CR was recognized as a Brand That Matters by Fast Company, which seeks to "honor companies and nonprofits that have had an undeniable impact on business and culture." Fast Company wrote: "Over its 87-year existence, CR has built a reputation for independence, objectivity, and trustworthiness."

We strive to earn that trust every single day. Read more about the impact you helped CR make in our annual report here.