Fed delays on alcohol labeling stymieing national policies on alcohol and obesity – National Consumers League

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December 20, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) has once again called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to issue a final rule to improve alcohol beverage labeling.

“The drinking public needs certain basic information on beer, wine, and spirits labels,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “With a severe nationwide obesity epidemic, there is no excuse for not having calories listed on all alcohol beverage labels. Consumers also need clear information about alcohol content in order to drink responsibly.”

Seven years ago, the National Consumers League petitioned TTB to require an “Alcohol Facts” panel on labels of beer, wine, and distilled spirits. More than 3 years ago, TTB proposed a watered-down version of “Alcohol Facts,” which it called “Serving Facts,” but has still not issued a final rule.

“The Alcohol Facts panel was intended to provide all the information consumers need in one location, clearly and concisely,” said Greenberg. “It would be like the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels, except that it would provide the information relevant to alcoholic beverages.” NCL asked that the “Alcohol Facts” panel include serving size, the number of calories per serving, alcohol content information (including the amount of alcohol per serving, the definition of a “standard drink,” and the number of standard drinks per container), and ingredient information.

“The nine college students who went to an emergency room for alcohol poisoning after drinking too much of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage earlier this year may not have realized just how much alcohol they were consuming,” added Greenberg. “Maybe if the standard drinks per container had been required to appear on the labels, they wouldn’t have made that mistake.”

TTB’s inaction on Alcohol Facts labeling is also interfering with other important public health objectives. A new law requires nutrition labeling of foods and beverages served in chain restaurants and bars, including alcoholic beverages, but there is no approved method for measuring certain nutrients in alcohol and TTB has provided the industry with no guidance. If the Alcohol Facts panel were required, restaurants and bars could simply use the information on the product label.

The lack of calorie and alcohol information on beer, wine, and spirits labels is also an obstacle to application of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services will soon issue the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, but, without calorie and alcohol information on product labels, consumers still will not be able to follow its recommendations on weight control and alcohol consumption.

“Label reform for alcoholic beverages is a no brainer,” according to Greenberg. “What is TTB waiting for?”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL warning consumers to steer clear of ‘Grandparent Scam’ – National Consumers League

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December 15, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League’s Fraud Center today put out an alert to consumers to be aware of scam artists using variations on the so-called “Grandparent Scam” this holiday season. The alert comes in response to a number of consumer complaints that the Fraud Center has received recently regarding attempted and successful frauds by unscrupulous scammers.

In a typical Grandparent Scam, a con artist calls or emails the victim posing as a relative in distress or someone claiming to represent the relative (such as a lawyer or law enforcement agent). The scammer may frantically tell the victim a variation of “Grandma, it’s me,” followed by a description of the problem in which they have found themselves (arrested, in an auto accident, in need of a lawyer, etc.). The victim is then instructed to wire money to the scam artist with the claim that the funds will be used for bail money, lawyer’s fees, hospital bills, or other expense. The victim is urged not to tell anyone, such as the parent of the “grandchild” because they do not want them to find out about the trouble they’ve gotten themselves into.

“Scam artists will stop at nothing to defraud consumers, many of whom are often elderly and living on fixed incomes,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “The scary part about this scam is that it preys on our natural inclination to want to help a loved one who is in distress.”

To detect and avoid the Grandparent Scam, NCL’s Fraud Center recommends the following tips:

  • Beware of any urgent solicitation of funds, especially if it is needed to pay for unexpected bills, such as bail money, lawyer’s fees, or doctor bills
  • Before sending funds, independently contact the relative (or parent of the relative) the scam artist is claiming to be (or represent) at a known phone number to verify the details of the story.
  • Scam artist’s payment method of choice is the wire transfer. Any urgent request to wire money should be treated suspiciously.
  • Be aware that fraudsters attempting the Grandparent Scam” may call late at night to confuse potential victims.
  • Consumers who have been victims of this scam should immediately report it to local law enforcement, their state attorney general and NCL’s Fraud Center at www.fraud.org.

“Consumers with older relatives should be sure to warn them about this scam,” said Breyault. “These fraudsters are cunning and know how to push all the right buttons to separate victims from their money.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL issues tips for jolly holiday gift returns – National Consumers League

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December 15, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—With just 10 shopping days left until Christmas, holiday shoppers who are lucky enough to have completed the purchases can relax momentarily before gearing up for the day after Christmas — when stores are flooded with consumers lining up for post-holiday sales and returns. To help ease the burden of returns, the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer group, offers advice for increasing the chances of successful — and painless — holiday gift returns.

“As surely as people buy holiday gifts, they also return holiday gifts,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “Returning merchandise successfully — and getting a refund you’re satisfied with — can pose a few challenges any time of year, but there are a number of things consumers can do before the return, or even before the purchase, to reduce stress, ease the process, and increase the odds of a successful transaction.”

Tips for easy holiday gift returns:

  • Know a store’s return policy before you buy. When you buy, know what you’re getting into — whether the return will be in the form of cash or store credit, at full price, the price that was paid by the purchaser, or some more recent marked-down price. Know whether having the receipt factors into this so you can decide whether politely going back to the gift giver to ask for the receipt is warranted.
  • Keep a paper trail. Go to the trouble of saving receipts from the beginning and keeping them handy in case there’s a need for a return. Having a receipt dramatically increases the chances of an outcome that’s to your liking.
  • As a gift-giver, give items in their full packaging. And as a recipient, don’t open the packaging of anything you know you don’t want to keep, particularly electronics. Policies that don’t allow returns for opened electronics items are common. If they do take it back, they may withhold a certain percentage of the return price and call it a “restocking fee.”
  • Spend your gift cards. They may lose value over time, so look at the fine print and spend them before they expire.
  • Prepare yourself for the worst. Stores have been tracking customers’ return habits for years. Some retailers subscribe to services that keep track of what consumers are purchasing and bringing back in an attempt to curb consumer return fraud — the returning of stolen goods. For honest consumers, this can cause problems, as some stores limit the amount of return activity to a certain number or value of annual merchandise returns. There’s a possibility if you’ve returned a lot of merchandise, you’ll be denied.
  • Be smart. Don’t wear it. Don’t damage it. Increase the chance of having a successful return by taking care of the item on its way back to the store and being a pleasant, polite customer. The post-holidays are stressful enough. Don’t contribute with a less-likely-to-be-helped attitude.

Check out the return policy of an online purchase. You may be able to bring it in-person to the brick-and-mortar store. You may have to pay to send it back, or the vendor may have provided you with a pre-paid postage slip. Or you may not be able to return it at all. Read the delivery information and return instructions for anything you purchase online, particularly if it’s meant to be a gift.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL statement on passage of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act – National Consumers League

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December 2, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—In a vote of 264-157, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, legislation that reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act and that will significantly improve the nutritional quality of food served in schools. The bill, which the Senate passed in August, will now be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

This landmark legislation provides a six-cent per-meal increase for the school lunch program, the biggest funding increase the program has received in decades. Among other measures, it will make healthier choices more available – and unhealthy choices less available – throughout the school day, simplify the process for enabling low-income children to receive the free meals to which they are entitled, and provide technical assistance to school food service providers across the country.

“Ensuring that the meals and snacks our children consume during the school day are healthy ones is crucial in so many ways. For far too many children, the food served at school provides the only healthy meal or meals they eat all day. It is also important to send a consistent message to the children about why we all need to eat nutritious foods. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will go a long way towards creating a healthy environment in all schools and will provide tools to combat the double-edged sword of hunger and obesity,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.

The National Consumers League joined more than 1,300 other health, education, and anti-hunger groups; First Lady Michelle Obama; and a number of major food companies in supporting passage of the bill.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Consumers to enjoy new gift card rules this holiday season – National Consumers League

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December 1, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

WASHINGTON, DC— For the fourth year in a row, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), gift cards are America’s most requested gift this holiday season. New this year, however, are extra safeguards in place for consumers, mandated by the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 that went into effect earlier this year. Starting in August, the CARD Act has made for numerous changes in the credit card industry, and – good news for gift card givers and receivers this holiday season – it also has some implications for the gift card industry. According to the NRF, Americans will spend an average of $145.61 on gift cards, up from $139.91 last year. Total gift card spending is expected to reach $24.78 billion.

“There’s good news for consumers planning to purchase gift cards for friends and loved ones this holiday season, as well as for those of us who receive them,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “With sales of gift cards expected to reach nearly $25 billion this year, it’s about time consumers benefited from improvements to the industry’s practices. With better fine print, better expiration dates, and more standardized rules, consumers can buy and use gift cards with greater confidence this holiday season.”

Here are the key elements of the new Credit CARD Act that affect gift cards:

Standardized Expiration Dates. Gift cards cannot expire less than five years after purchase.

Better fine print. Gift card issuers must clearly disclose dormancy and inactivity fees.

No more unused balance fees – for the first year

Starting now, no cards purchased in the previous 12 months can carry fees for going unused. In the past, unused cards lost value more quickly due to these inactivity fees. The good news is that now, issuers must not start tacking on the fees for a full year. The bad news is that there is no limit on the amount of this fee, which can only be assessed once a month.

Fees subject to these restrictions include monthly maintenance or service fees, balance inquiry fees and transaction-based fees, such as reload fees and point-of-sale fees.

Even with better safeguards for consumers in place, NCL is still warning consumers to give and use gift cards wisely. The cards, while offering better features, still come with greater restrictions than cash.

Tips for buying and giving gift cards

  • Encourage the recipients of gift cards to use them quickly to avoid losing the value of the cards to fees.
  • Ask for a gift receipt for each card purchased and include the receipt when giving a gift card. This will allow the cardholder to replace the card if it is lost or stolen.
  • Read all terms and conditions prior to purchasing a card. If the terms are not disclosed or if they are too difficult to understand, consider purchasing a different card.
  • Be wary of gift cards sold on online auction sites. These cards are often stolen or counterfeit.
  • Keep all gift cards and receipts in a safe, easily accessible place to avoid loss and neglect of gift cards.
  • If a card requires registration prior to use, be sure to do so soon after receiving the card.
  • If a card’s value is too low to cover an entire purchase, a merchant may be able to do a “split-tender” transaction that will allow part of a purchase to be paid with the gift card and the balance to be paid by another means (cash, check, credit/debit card). If an employee seems unsure how to conduct a “split-tender” transaction, ask a manager to help.
  • Be aware of state laws pertaining to gift cards. These may affect expiration dates, fees, and card replacement.
  • Don’t throw away depleted cards. Some merchants require a card for returns.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org

Avoid bogus charities this holiday season – National Consumers League

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December 1, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

WASHINGTON, DC—‘Tis the season for many consumers to open their hearts and wallets to a variety of charities. But NCL, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, has issued an alert to consumers that con artists may take advantage of their generosity this time of year with bogus charities posing as legitimate ones.

“It’s that time of year again, when we begin to hear from consumers about crooks’ attempts to take advantage of the holiday giving season for their personal gain,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “If you’re thinking of giving to a charity this season, good for you! But be careful — some scammers out there may be looking to take advantage of your generosity.”

The Washington, DC-based nonprofit advocacy organization collects consumers’ complaints of telemarketing and Internet fraud through NCL’s Fraud Center (www.fraud.org), and anticipates it will soon receive reports of holiday charity scams.

Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission about charity scams have become more frequent recently. The volume of complaints to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel system increased by 8.6 percent from 1.23 million in 2008 to 1.33 million in 2009.  While the volume of complaints regarding bogus charitable solicitations remained a small fraction of overall complaints, they were reported much more frequently in 2009, increased by 82.1 percent over the same period (1,908 in 2008 versus 3,474 in 2009).

NCL warns consumers to avoid becoming a statistic this holiday season by doing their homework before giving to an unfamiliar charity. Non-profit tracking Web sites like GuideStar.org and CharityNavigator.org have a free databases with detailed information on many charities.

NCL offers the following tips for the charitable-minded:


  • Research. Local newspapers or television or radio stations often compile lists of reputable charities responding to emergencies. Consider consulting these sources for information on how to give.

  • Be in control of what you give and to whom you give it! Consider setting up a personal charity/giving budget and deciding ahead of time who you want to give to, rather that being pressured into giving on the spur of the moment by a phone or e-mail solicitation. Consider contacting a charity directly on the phone or via the Internet to ensure that your donation is going directly to the charity of your choice.

  • Pay the smartest way. Don’t pay in cash, if possible. It is safer to pay by check or credit card. Be sure to get a receipt for any donation for tax purposes.

  • If a charity contacts, you, be cautious. If you’re approached by an unfamiliar charity, check it out. Most states require charities to register with them and file annual reports showing how they use donations. Ask your state or local consumer protection agency how to get this information. The Better Business Bureau Wise (BBB) Giving Alliance also offers information about national charities. Call 703-276-0100 or go to www.give.org.

  • Get it in writing. Legitimate charities will be happy to provide details about what they do and will never insist that you act immediately.

  • Beware of sound-alikes. Some crooks try to fool people by using names that are very similar to those of legitimate, well-known charities

  • Know who you’re talking to. Ask about the caller’s relation to the charity. The caller may be a professional fundraiser, not an employee or a volunteer. Ask what percentage of donations goes to the charity and how much the fundraiser gets.

Consumers can report suspected charity scams to NCL’s Fraud Center at the online complaint form on www.fraud.org.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org

NCL statement on passage of Food Safety Modernization Act – National Consumers League

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November 30, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The following statement may be attributed to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League:

“The National Consumers League, America’s oldest consumer organization, applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, S. 510.  This long-overdue legislation overhauls woefully outdated food safety laws, strengthening the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to help prevent foodborne illness and death in the United States.  Among other measures, the bill gives the agency the authority to recall contaminated products; increases oversight of imported foods, holding them to the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S.; develops new requirements for traceability; and establishes a minimum inspection frequency for domestic food processing facilities.”  

“NCL urges members of Congress to continue to work together and send this bipartisan bill to the President’s desk before the end of 2010.  Americans deserve to ring in the New Year with the promise of a safety food supply.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL asking CPSC to act on 7 year petition to prevent finger amputations with safer saws – National Consumers League

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November 24, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC — In a letter to the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sent this week, the National Consumers League is asking the CPSC to finally act on a seven-year-old petition to prevent finger amputations from table saw accidents. The League’s letter to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum points out that safety technology is available – and has been available for nearly a decade – to prevent finger injuries and should be required throughout the industry.

Sally Greenberg, the League’s Executive Director, says in her letter, “We could have prevented the 10 finger amputations that occur each day from table saw injuries had the Commission acted years ago. The fact that we still allow table saws to amputate fingers – especially in teens who may be using these saws in shop class – is unconscionable. The facts cry out for CPSC attention.”

In 2003, SawStop, makers of table saws that employ technology that prevents the saw blade from cutting off fingers, filed a petition to the CPSC asking that the Commission set a safety performance standard for all table saws.

NCL’s letter notes: “According to CPSC’s own data, a table saw injury occurs once every nine minutes. The average per-accident business cost is estimated to be $67,000. 30,000 people suffer injuries from table saws each year, and over 3,000 suffer amputations. The technology exists – and indeed is being used today by one manufacturer – to prevent the needless and brutal accidents associated with the hazards of using table saws.”

The safety technology involves a detection system such that when the table saw blade senses an electrical signal given off by human tissue – like a finger – the safety system is activated and the blade stops. Clearly the technology is effective, as demonstrated by testimonials from shop teachers, hobbyists, and others who operate table saws.

The League’s letter also notes that the Commission doesn’t have to adopt the exact SawStop technology, but should instead create an industry standard that employs safety technology to prevent accidents. The letter urges the Commission to give the industry a specific time period in which to adopt current technology or develop new technology to prevent these grave injuries and amputations from table saws. The benefits of a performance standard include allowing for innovation and creativity in the design of a table saw with these safety components built in.

“Table saw safety – and the ability of CPSC to take action to protect users of table saws – seems to us to be a classic example of how the Commission’s role was envisioned by Congress when the CPSC was established in 1972. While table saws do have certain inherent hazards, that is not an excuse for failing to enact safety regulations for these products.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL praises FDA crackdown on alcoholic energy drinks – National Consumers League

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November 18, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement yesterday that it would crack down on seven alcoholic energy drinks under recent scrutiny for combining large amounts of alcohol and caffeine. The products covered by the FDA action are manufactured by four companies and include the popular drinks Four Loko, Joose, Core, Max, and others. In September, nine college students in Washington State ended up in a hospital emergency room after drinking Four Loko.

“Products like Four Loko that combine large quantities of alcohol and caffeine in a single can or bottle can be a dangerous trap for young, inexperienced drinkers,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Research shows that the caffeine makes drinkers feel less impaired than they really are, with potentially dangerous consequences. NCL applauds FDA’s decision to call for reformulation of these products or removal from the market before more people are harmed.”

“If only the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would require Alcohol Facts on the labels of all alcoholic beverages, then consumers would know how much alcohol they are consuming,” Greenberg added. TTB is the federal agency that regulates labeling of alcoholic beverages.

In 2003, NCL and the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned TTB to require an Alcohol Facts panel on alcoholic beverage labels, comparable to the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels. The proposed Alcohol Facts panel would include the amount of alcohol per serving, alcohol concentration (percent alcohol by volume), the number of standard drinks per container, and the definition of a standard drink. TTB published a proposed rule in 2007 but has never finalized it.

“One can of Four Loko contains 4.7 standard drinks, the equivalent of almost five beers. If this information had been clearly stated on the label, maybe the college students who were sent to the emergency room in Washington might not have consumed so much that they suffered alcohol poisoning.”

“NCL wishes that TTB would be as proactive and as concerned with public health as its sister agency FDA,” Greenberg said.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL, FDA launch campaign to help consumers avoid food-drug interactions – National Consumers League

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November 10, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have teamed up to alert consumers to the possibility that the medications they are taking could interact with foods, caffeine, and alcohol.  With millions of Americans taking prescription or over-the-counter medications each day, the issue of interactions between medications and certain foods is of growing importance.

“Avoid Food-Drug Interactions” (view sample pages here) is an updated version of NCL’s very popular “Food and Drug Interactions” brochure. The renamed brochure contains new information, has been published in plain language, and is re-formatted as a guide for consumers to learn more about and avoid interactions.

”Despite how widespread our use of prescription medications has come, many Americans likely don’t give a second thought to whether the foods they regularly eat and drink might make certain drugs less effective, or even pose the risk of dangerous interactions,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “Our new NCL/FDA brochure is a useful tool that anyone who takes medications should have access to.”

“To take medicine safely, it’s important to follow directions about what you eat and drink,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Make sure you read the drug’s label every time to avoid harmful food and drug interactions, and to get the most benefit from your medicine.”

The “Avoid Food-Drug Interactions” brochure includes dozens of common medications and examples of interactions with certain foods, alcohol, and caffeine. This updated brochure contains information on new medications including allergy treatments, pain therapy, and cholesterol-lowering therapy.

“Even within the same drug categories there are important differences. For example, some drugs may be less likely to cause interactions because they are metabolized differently than other drugs in the same category,” said Rebecca Burkholder, NCL Vice President for Health Policy. “Our brochure is a great resource to learn about your risk of possible interactions, but consumers must also talk to their doctors or pharmacists to ensure they take their medications safely.”

Other examples in the brochure include which antibiotics should be taken with food to avoid stomach upset and information on foods, like fruit juices and milk, that may cause reactions with some medications.

If you would like a copy of the brochure, please send $2 for postage and handling to the National Consumers League, 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006.

Bulk order pricing is available as well. For more information, contact NCL’s Publications Manager Theresa Smith at (202) 835-3323.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.