Consumer World

Week of May 27, 2019 (see last week)

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Consumer World Original

Mouse Print* -- Google Ran an Illegal Lottery -- And We Got Them to Stop

mouse print Last week, Google sent out an offer via email offering a reward to people if they clicked a special link and purchased a 2-pack of Google Home Mini smart speakers. They would get a chance to win a $299 Google Home Max speaker. There's just one problem. Sellers can't require a purchase for the chance of winning a prize. That is our Mouse Print* story this week.


Your Consumer Rights Could Be Wiped Away

consumer rights Thousands of lawyers, law professors, and judges met last week to establish new principles of when a contract is formed between consumers and online entities as part of a revision to the Restatement of Consumer Contracts - a scholarly treatise. They proposed that consumers automatically be bound by the terms and conditions set out on a website even if they never read it, were not directed to it, nor knew of its existence. Yikes! Online sellers can merely dictate the terms and, and unless unconscionable, you would be held to them. Voting on the proposal was postponed last week for the time being, but the proposal is not dead. (Here is a second story on the subject.)

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MoneyTalksNews


FDA Wants to Revamp Freshness Sell-By Dating on Products

sell-by dates Noting how much food waste there is in the country because shoppers misunderstand expiration dates on food, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing a uniform way for product manufacturers to label freshness dates on packages. Their recommendation is that "best if used by" be the way that products should be labeled (rather than "sell by" or "expires on"). MrConsumer thinks that while some benefits of this are clear, items may remain on store shelves longer and be less fresh if this becomes the pull by date for supermarkets.



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Bargain of the Week

Memorial Day Deals for Vets

On Memorial Day, veterans and active duty personnel can get freebies and deals (mostly on food) around the country.

See also: Hot Deals

Consumer Reports

Best Laundry Detergents

Here is an excerpt from Consumer Reports' latest tests of laundry detergents. Don't let the 1-5 numbering fool you. The real number one product is Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release, followed by Persil ProClean 2in1.

More from Consumer Reports
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