Consumer Reports, an organization with 87 years of experience, tests over 2,000 products annually for safety and effectiveness with a budget of over $30 million funded mainly by 6 million subscribers. They buy products anonymously to avoid conflicts of interest, and their influence extends to shaping car safety features and advocating for consumer rights. One notable investigation revealed the dangers of the Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper, leading to a national recall. Their current project involves investigating the range claims of electric vehicles, even catching the attention of Elon Musk.
Sure, here are the key facts extracted from the provided text:
1. Consumer spending on consumer goods this year is expected to be around 14 trillion dollars.
2. Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization, has been testing products for safety and effectiveness for 87 years.
3. Consumer Reports employs nearly 600 testers, journalists, scientists, and investigators who work in 60 labs to conduct research.
4. They test various products, including bike helmets, mosquito repellents, refrigerators, drills, and toilets, among others.
5. Consumer Reports has an annual testing budget of over 30 million dollars, funded mostly by its 6 million members.
6. The organization does not accept free products from manufacturers and buys every product they evaluate to avoid conflicts of interest.
7. They test car safety features, and their evaluations can influence car companies' decisions, even leading to over-the-air updates in some cases.
8. Consumer Reports conducts secret vehicle purchases, and their influence has led to a significant increase in vehicles with crash avoidance systems.
9. They exposed safety issues with products like the Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper, leading to a national recall of nearly 5 million units.
10. Consumer Reports investigates and advocates for consumer safety, acting as watchdogs and change agents in the market.