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, 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.

NCL thanks Western Union for underwriting LifeSmarts study aid – National Consumers League

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November 1, 2010

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

Washington, DC – With the 2010-2011 National LifeSmarts Competition well underway in high school classrooms across the country, the National Consumers League has announced a new study aid for coaches and students prepping for nationals: the Question-of-the-Day Calendar. Covering a range of subjects from health and safety to personal finance and the environment, the LifeSmarts Question-of-the-Day Calendars are underwritten by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The November calendar, featuring practice questions with an emphasis on consumer rights and responsibilities, was sponsored by Western Union.

Each month, the official LifeSmarts Web site (www.lifesmarts.org) features a calendar containing dozens of retired competition questions for use as a study aid. The LifeSmarts daily calendars provide one challenge question related to the monthly topic area for each school day.

“Teachers and coaches may use the calendar questions to spur class discussion by asking one question per day, developing a mini-quiz given weekly, or running a simulated LifeSmarts competition,” said LifeSmarts Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “We are grateful for Western Union’s support in making this resource available to students and coaches who are spending this fall prepping to compete in the online and state competitions for a shot at the 2011 National LifeSmarts Championship event in Los Angeles in April.”

LifeSmarts–the ultimate consumer challenge–is an educational opportunity that develops the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of teenagers in a fun way and rewards them for the knowledge they demonstrate. The program complements the curriculum already in place in high schools and can be used as an activity for classes, groups, clubs, and community organizations. LifeSmarts, run as a game-show style competition, is open to all teens in the U.S. in high school and middle school.

LifeSmarts topics have been chosen to encourage and reward knowledge in the areas that matter most to consumers and workers in today’s marketplace: personal finance; health and safety; the environment; technology; and consumer rights and responsibilities.

In LifeSmarts, teams of four to five teens, coached by an adult participant, compete in district and state matches with the state winners going to the national competition to vie for the national LifeSmarts title. The National Consumers League will host the 17th annual LifeSmarts National Competition in Los Angeles, California from April 30 – May 3, 2011.

The National Consumers League appreciates the financial support that makes LifeSmarts possible, which allows us to provide this program at no charge to teens and adult coaches. Our sponsors — community-minded businesses, associations, labor unions, government agencies, other organizations and individuals — understand the benefits of providing meaningful consumer education for young adults.

Western Union has been a major LifeSmarts sponsor in recent years. In 2009 Western Union provided an unrestricted education grant to NCL to develop three LifeSmarts U lessons focusing on fraud awareness and prevention. LifeSmarts U provides interactive online learning for individual students and classrooms across the United States.

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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

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.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org , or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.

NCL thanks NACDS Foundation for $1 million contribution to campaign urging correct medication use – National Consumers League

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October 27, 2010

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

Washington, DC – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced a contribution in the amount of $1 million to the National Consumers League’s (NCL) national campaign to raise consumers’ awareness of the public health benefits of taking medications as prescribed, which is known within healthcare as “medication adherence.”

NCL’s groundbreaking medication adherence awareness campaign includes more than 100 stakeholders from public and private sector advocacy organizations, government agencies, and corporations.  It will officially launch in spring of 2011. The NACDS Foundation has been an active participant in campaign planning, which began in 2008 and will continue through this winter.

Medication adherence is a critical issue for improving patient health and reducing healthcare costs. Nearly three out of four Americans fail to take their medications as prescribed, and almost half of Americans suffer with one or more chronic diseases that require medication therapy. Failure to take medication as prescribed is estimated to cost $290 billion annually in increased hospitalizations, doctor and emergency room visits, and factors related to preventable disease progression, according to a July 2009 report by the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI).

With initial planning funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Consumers League is leading the national multi-media effort targeting people with chronic conditions and health care practitioners, with additional intensive outreach in a handful of markets across the country, to alert consumers to the reality of the health and financial costs of not taking medications correctly.

“Poor medication adherence is costing individuals their good health and our nation billions. NACDS Foundation’s generous contribution will help us take the campaign to the next level and make a real difference in consumers’ lives,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “NCL’s long history of successful initiatives helping consumers take medications safely, as well as our proven ability to identify areas of common concern among disparate groups, uniquely qualifies us to lead this campaign.”

“Helping to raise public awareness about the importance of taking prescriptions as prescribed by their doctors is one of our top priorities at the NACDS Foundation, and we are proud to be a major supporter of the campaign,” said Edith A. Rosato, RPh, IOM, President of the NACDS Foundation. “It is vital to public health to chip away at the hurdles preventing consumers from taking medication as prescribed and improving their health and lowering overall healthcare costs. The Foundation looks forward to actively engaging in the campaign and helping to ensure its success.”

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.nclnet.org.

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About National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that serves as the education, research and charitable affiliate of NACDS.  The NACDS Foundation seeks to improve the health and wellness of the people in America.  It utilizes education, research, and charitable involvement to help people improve their health and quality of life through an understanding of medication therapy and the importance of taking medications appropriately.  For more information, please visit www.NACDSFoundation.org.

About 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.

‘Compensation Czar’, Surgeon General to be honored with NCL Trumpeter Award – National Consumers League

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October 7, 2010

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

Washington, D.C.—The National Consumers League will honor ‘Compensation Czar’ Kenneth Feinberg, the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation and administrator of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster Victim Compensation Unit and United States Surgeon General Vice Admiral Regina Benjamin, M.D. with its highest honor, the Trumpeter Award, today in Washington DC. The event will bring together a diverse group of representatives of the labor unions, advocates, legislators, organizations, and industries touched by the two advocates’ esteemed careers.

“The Trumpeter Award is NCL’s highest honor, given to leaders who are not afraid to speak out for social justice and for the rights of consumers. No one fits that description better than Kenneth Feinberg and Dr. Regina Benjamin,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Their dedication to improving the quality of life for workers and consumers in the United States has earned them this year’s Trumpeter Award.”

NCL will also be honoring Jean Ann Fox, Director of Financial Services at Consumer Federation of America, with the Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award, named for NCL’s early leader and awarded to grassroots consumer advocates.

The event will feature a reception, dinner, and speaking appearances by the two honorees, as well as:

The Honorable Chuck Hagel, Distinguished Professor, Georgetown University; Co-Chair, President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and Chairman of The Altantic Council

Dr. Winston Price, President, National African American Drug Policy Coalition

Teresa Schwartz, Professor at George Washington University Law School and Chair of the Consumers Union Board of Directors

Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director

Jane King, NCL Board of Directors, Chair

Pastor Herrera, Jr., NCL Board of Directors, Vice Chair

What: National Consumers League’s 2010 Trumpeter Awards Dinner

When: Thursday, October 7, 2010 | 6 p.m. Reception | 7 p.m. Dinner and Presentation of Awards

Where: Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, DC

Questions or to RSVP: Larry Bostian, National Consumers League 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.

NCL to Congress: get tough on gold ‘investments’ with H.R. 6149 – National Consumers League

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September 23, 2010

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

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest nonprofit consumer organization, has offered its support for H.R. 6149, the “Coin and Precious Metal Disclosure Act,” which the consumer watchdog says would do much to give consumers an accurate picture of the risks associated with buying gold and precious coins. Consumers may consider gold and precious coins to be an effective investment hedge against inflation.  However, recent investigations by federal, state and local enforcement agencies suggest that some gold dealers may be leveraging recessionary fears to steer consumers into buying gold and precious coins at inflated prices.

In a letter to Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg conveyed the nonprofit organization’s concerns about the proliferation of gold coins being marketed to consumers as investments, particularly in the midst of a difficult economy.  The subcommittee is holding a hearing today to discuss the proposed legislation and potentially deceptive practices in the gold and precious coins marketplace.

“Purchasing gold may be a useful way for consumers to diversify their investment portfolios. However, we are disturbed by reports of gold dealers pressuring customers to purchase collectible coins at prices inflated far beyond market value,” wrote Greenberg. “Further, it concerns us that salespeople working for a prominent gold dealer were found by the Securities Division of the Secretary of State of Missouri to be offering financial advice to consumers without being licensed as investment advisors.”

H.R. 6149 will address these concerns by requiring disclosure of relevant fees and the purchase price, melt value, and resale value of coins and metal bullion. NCL believes that these disclosures will help consumers more effectively evaluate gold investment opportunities and applauds Congressman Weiner for introducing this bill and convening a hearing on the matter.

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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.

As Congress addresses egg recall, groups call on industry to phase out cages – National Consumers League

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September 22, 2010

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

Washington,DC — Hours before a Congressional hearing on the largest egg recall in U.S. history, the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer organization, and The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, joined forces to call on the egg industry to phase out the cage confinement of laying hens in order to reduce food safety risks and animal cruelty. The half-billion egg recall is the latest in a series of reminders that how we treat animals can have significant food safety and public health implications.

“It is the very system of cramming birds into cages – in warehouses on operations that may confine more than a million animals – that exacerbates the spread of infectious diseases like Salmonella,” said HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. “The industry must phase out these hazardous and merciless cages.”

Even before the recall, the FDA estimated that 142,000 Americans are sickened by Salmonella-tainted eggs every year. The elderly, infants, pregnant women, and those with impaired immune are especially vulnerable to developing severe—even life-threatening—complications.

The egg industry has unfairly placed the blame on consumers, but given the potential for cross-contamination and the fact that many common egg cooking methods are insufficient to eliminate the threat, it is incumbent on industry to reduce Salmonella risk on the farm. An abundance of evidence suggests this can be accomplished by phasing out cage confinement, which carries greater risks due to the enormous flock sizes, the propensity for rodent and fly infestations, and an inability to adequately disinfect the cage equipment between flocks.

“Consumers don’t want to buy products from companies that abuse their workers, mistreat their animals, or pollute the environment, and they certainly don’t want to buy food that contains pathogens that could make them or their families sick.” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “The link between caging of birds and increased Salmonella makes this animal protection issue a food safety one as well. This large-scale egg recall comes from a company that appears to routinely violate the rights of workers, engage in cruel treatment of animals, and dispose improperly of waste; it’s no surprise to us that this same company would produce goods that are harmful to consumers.”

Numerous public opinion polls show that most Americans oppose this extreme confinement. California and Michigan have passed laws phasing out cages, and California is phasing out sale of cage eggs. Many major retailers, including Burger King, Subway, Quiznos, IHOP and Denny’s, are already using cage-free eggs.

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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.

About The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization—backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—on the web at humanesociety.org.