Our Impact
The work of the National Consumers League is making a difference in people’s lives across the country. Meet some of the consumers touched by our programs.
Read about NCL’s impact
Preventing yet another victim
Paige, 55, a Nashville wife and mother of two, answered an employment ad for secret shoppers. Before sending payment to the scammers, she reached out to NCL.
Read about NCL’s impact
Building a stronger generation
A grease fire flared up in Decklan’s kitchen. As his family scrambled and panicked, fearing that the whole house might erupt in flames, Decklan remained calm. He hurried over to the pantry, grabbed some baking soda, and dumped it on the fire quickly extinguishing the blaze.
Read about NCL’s impact
Script Your Future saved my life
Cincinnati resident Charles, 45, lost his computer business — and health insurance— during a time of economic downturn. A diabetic, Charles was now unable to afford his medication. He stopped taking it which made him seriously ill and put his life at risk.
Read about NCL’s impact
For a safer workplace
Jeremy is a fast-food worker who has been employed at a number of Chipotle restaurants in New York City. When he was just 20 years old, he took part in an NCL research project that revealed that management practices within the fast food chain were putting workers—and food safety for customers—at risk.
Read about NCL’s impact
Policy Areas
Consumer Education
NCL offers numerous resources for consumers to help navigate the marketplace, across many facets of our issue areas. Our LifeSmarts program is a free, national consumer literacy competition and scholarship opportunity that gives youth the skills needed to become consumer-savvy adults.
Where we stand
Knowledgeable consumers can participate more fully and effectively in the marketplace. The more consumers know about their rights and responsibilities as well as about the goods and services they buy, the better they are able to protect themselves, make sound purchasing decisions, and contribute to the economy. In the process of developing educational information for consumers, industry and government become more conscious of consumer needs, concerns, and interests, which can stimulate economic growth and underscore the changes needed to better serve consumers. In essence, consumer education can be the catalyst for changing individual behavior, strengthening enforcement of laws and regulations, developing alternatives when marketplace practices cannot be readily changed (as in a regulated market), and increasing effective citizen participation in the marketplace.Consumer Protection
Across many industries, regulatory rollbacks and corporate oligopolies often make the marketplace feel stacked against consumers. A pro-business environment has made many aspects of it feel particularly unfriendly, including the live event industry, the automotive industry, and in the contracts that govern many aspects of life. NCL is leading the fight on a variety of fronts to defend hard-fought regulations that are in place to protect consumers’ personal finances. NCL is a leader in securing new protections that have the potential to improve life for consumers nationwide.
Where we stand
Telecommunications services are essential to the welfare of all consumers. Competition and advances in technology have changed the way people communicate, work, and learn. Consumers now have a wide array of services and a growing number of providers. Basic telephone service is at the foundation of an ever-increasing market of new services and technologies. The Internet has also transformed the communications industry, offering information and communications services to consumers, especially those with broadband access to this technology.While this evolving telecommunications market offers many benefits to consumers, it also raises increased concerns about universal service, costs, and service quality. Go [here] for more information on NCL’s guiding principles.
Policy Areas
Fraud Policy
Rapidly changing technology presents significant challenges to consumers and opportunities for unscrupulous actors.The global data breach crisis threatens the security of our sensitive in formation and exposes all of us to identity theft and increased risk of fraud. Privacy is a fundamental human right. As new technologies, products, and services are introduced into the marketplace and workplace, it is increasingly important to consider the privacy implications on consumers and workers.Government must be vigilant in assuring consumers and workers that their personal privacy is protected.
Food Policy
The National Consumers League is committed to a food policy that ensures a safe, nutritious, and abundant food supply. The League believes consumers should have access to food at reasonable prices, and no person should go hungry or suffer malnutrition. NCL supports a system for monitoring and improving the nutritional status of the United States, in particular
programs that aid low-income families and school children.
Health Policy
Government at all levels must act to insure access to affordable quality health care for all citizens. As a matter of public policy, the government’s role in health care must not be limited to the reimbursement of health care practitioners and facilities for the treatment of the diseased or injured. Rather, government must assume its responsibility to further the total health of consumers, including the quality of their environment, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, their nutritional needs, occupational health and safety, and right to comprehensive preventive health care.
Workers’ Rights
The National Consumer League believes that the consumer interest is best served when all have the opportunity to earn a living wage. Opportunities for adequate levels of income for all should be pursued vigorously, including for youth, minorities, people with disabilities, women, and low-income workers. Neither responsible consumers nor policymakers want lower prices at the cost of worker exploitation.