Behind the Scenes

Following a CR investigation that uncovered lead and high sodium levels in store-bought versions of Lunchables, and our petition signed by nearly 50,000 people, Kraft Heinz removed Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program. This victory sets the bar higher for the quality of meals provided to schoolchildren. “Our country’s food policies should maintain stricter standards for the school lunch program to ensure millions of kids have access to the healthier options they deserve,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at CR.

Now, CR has found concerning levels of lead in popular spices including cinnamon powders and mixed spice blends. Lead exposure poses serious health risks, particularly for children and pregnant individuals. While these spices are a staple in many households, especially during the holidays, the high levels of contamination revealed in CR’s testing highlight an urgent need for regulatory action. 

See CR’s report and tips for selecting lower-risk spice products. 

CR is calling on the FDA to establish stronger limits on lead levels in spices and protect people from unnecessary exposure to toxic contaminants. 

Join us in urging the Food and Drug Administration to set safer lead standards for spices by signing our petition. With your support, we can advocate for a marketplace where safe, healthy food options are the norm

Venmo is a popular app that allows people to send and receive money with ease, often used for splitting bills, paying friends, and handling small expenses. However, did you know that your Venmo transactions might be more visible than you realize? CR’s analysis found the potential privacy risks users face on Venmo, where transaction details are often publicly accessible by default. With just a little digging, CR was able to find a surprising amount of information about some very famous people, including actor Jon Hamm, commentator Tucker Carlson, and former Google CEO and billionaire Eric Schmidt.

This lack of privacy could expose your financial activity to friends, acquaintances, or even strangers, raising concerns about how much control people really have over their information.

See CR’s steps for tightening your settings on Venmo so you can decide who sees your activity.

Consumer Reports has partnered with The Bump, a trusted resource for expecting and new parents, to make selecting a car seat easier and safer. Together, CR and The Bump are helping parents make informed choices about one of the most critical products they’ll buy. Through this partnership, more parents can access CR’s Car Seat Finder Tool, which simplifies the process of choosing the right car seat based on a child’s age, weight, height, and vehicle type, ensuring a safe and comfortable fit.

"At Consumer Reports, we do rigorous testing to ensure products meet or exceed standards for safety, which we know is a top priority for parents and parents-to-be," says Siobhan Adcock, director of baby content development at Consumer Reports. "Our partnership with The Bump lets us super-serve its audience. By combining our research and testing with The Bump’s expert and real-life parenting perspective, we’re helping parents navigate important purchase decisions with confidence."

Explore CR’s Car Seat Finder Tool and share it with new parents in your life.

To raise awareness of member benefits, CR launched an ad campaign in Atlanta to highlight Bill Negotiator. Through billboards and transit ads, people learned about Bill Negotiator, a service that works to lower your costs on services like cable, internet, mobile, and home security. People save an average of around $304.

CR’s mission is to make fair prices and transparent billing accessible to everyone, and we’re excited to bring this resource to more people and show up for consumers in new ways - in both Atlanta and Austin, where we have also been running new ads on buses.

Try CR’s Bill Negotiator tool and start saving.

This year CR made strides that will benefit millions of Americans, and it’s all thanks to the incredible support of donors like you. CR’s advocacy was instrumental in pushing the EPA to establish the first nationwide limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water, reducing exposure to these harmful “forever chemicals” for nearly 100 million people. This achievement builds on CR’s previous investigation into drinking water safety, where thousands of people nationwide volunteered to test their water, revealing widespread contamination and strengthening our call for stricter protections.

In California, CR helped pass a law banning six hazardous food additives, setting a new precedent for food safety that will be felt nationwide. Seven states passed comprehensive consumer privacy laws, extending protections to more than 35 million Americans. CR’s advocacy was pivotal in shaping these laws, with thousands of CR members urging legislators to safeguard digital rights and ensure fair use of AI in areas like pricing, healthcare, and employment.

Over the past ten years, CR’s testing and advocacy have led to significant protections, from the Safe Sleep for Babies Act to the STURDY Act, both safeguarding children from dangerous products. 

At CR’s annual meeting in October, Senator Amy Klobuchar said, “Millions of consumers couldn’t have asked for a better champion than the team at Consumer Reports.”

Your support empowers CR to stand up to big brands, improve safety in cars, homes, and technology, and advance data privacy and fair pricing, thereby creating lasting change for consumers everywhere. Together, we’re making people’s lives safer today and for the next decade. 

See CR’s 2024 Impact Report for more milestones we achieved together this year.