“Congress just put America last”— NCL slams Senate for undermining clean air, consumer rights

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – Today, the United States Senate passed three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that restrict states’ rights to establish robust tailpipe emission standards.  Having passed the House of Representatives, these resolutions will now go to the President’s desk for signature.  

“In the midst of a global race to develop and manufacture clean, efficient vehicles, Congress just put America last,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety Policy.  “This is a self-defeating attack on American manufacturing, affordability, health, and the environment.  The effect on consumers will be disastrous: pain at the pump, dirtier air, more extreme weather, and a less economically competitive nation.”   

Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may issue a waiver to the State of California to exceed federal emission standards for motor vehicles.  Other states are permitted to adopt California’s standards.  In 2024, the EPA provided California waivers for the State’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), Advanced Clean Trucks, and Omnibus NOx rules.  These standards, which have been adopted in whole or in part by 17 states, have nationwide benefits: conserving energy, combating the climate crisis, improving health, and reducing pain at the pump.  

Please see this fact sheet detailing the CRAs and their effect on American competitiveness, affordability, health, and the environment. 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

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 urges FDA and consumers to take action as GLP-1 shortage ends, but “infodemic” continues

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, (202)-207-2829

May 22 Conclusion of Mass Compounded GLP-1s Should Bring Clarity but Confusion Reigns

Washington, DC — Despite the end of the GLP-1 shortage and May 22 FDA-issued deadline for companies to stop mass compounding of the products, the National Consumers League (NCL) is concerned that the epidemic of GLP-1 misinformation will continue to confuse consumers with fake products that can put their health at risk. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers have roles to play in responding to the “infodemic.”

According to the FDA, as of today, companies should no longer mass-produce compounded GLP-1s. If they do, they will be in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act and may be subject to penalties, recalls, and other sanctions. While NCL understands the role of compounded drugs as customized medications created by pharmacists or physicians in individualized cases that combine, mix, or alter ingredients to meet a specific patient’s needs, like a swallowing disorder, they are not appropriate for mass production and distribution. They also pose more potential risks to patients.

Because compounded drugs do not have the guardrails, nor have they been tested in large populations, there are risks associated with them, and they therefore should never be produced on a mass marketing basis except in very limited situations where the FDA has declared a shortage of drugs in high demand. That was the case with shortages of GLP1 drugs from 2022 to several months ago, to meet the high demand.

The May 22 deadline should provide clarity for consumers who need GLP-1 medications. After this date, only products that are “FDA-approved” or have been through the FDA process and are proven safe and effective in large populations and prescribed by a medical professional should be on the market. We must ensure compounders abide by the FDA’s rules. However, NCL is concerned that the marketing of compounded and other nonlegal weight loss products will continue beyond the deadline and continue to confuse consumers and patients who are managing chronic diseases like obesity.

Our concerns are not unfounded: We recently released a national survey of perceptions of compounded GLP-1 products sold online, showing that there is significant confusion about GLP-1 products amongst women. Key findings include that more than 70% believe compounded GLP-1s are only on the market if they have been tested and proven safe, and more than half (53%) think compounded GLP-1s have received FDA-approval. Neither of these claims is true.

For the sake of consumers across the country, we urge the FDA to enforce federal law and its long-standing safety-guided standards for compounded products now that GLP-1 products are no longer in shortage. We also call on consumers to take the following steps to learn the facts about GLP-1s and understand what’s FDA-approved, what’s fake, and what might put their health at risk:

  1. If a product says, “Doctor Approved,” and not “FDA-Approved,” it is likely a compounded versions of GLP-1s that are not permitted after May 22: if you see them, it’s a red flag.
  2. Educate yourself by going to The Weight Truth website (https://nclnet.org/weight-truth/),
  3. Be aware that FDA-approved GLP-1s are not available in gummy, chewable, patch, nasal, or sublingual forms.
  4. Ask the healthcare provider or company selling you the GLP-1 if it’s the FDA-approved brand product. You can also reach out to the FDA-approved manufacturers to determine whether you have authentic medicine.
  5. Report fake GLP-1s to us through The Weight Truth website (https://nclnet.org/weight-truth/

In addition to raising awareness amongst consumers about the misinformation surrounding compounded GLP-1s, NCL is also reiterating its appeal to Congress to pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), a critical piece of legislation that will allow more older Americans to be treated with FDA-approved anti-obesity medications under the Medicare program.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)    

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. 

DOT’s abandonment of Southwest litigation will leave passengers worse off 

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 Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC — Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) quietly dropped its historic lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, which had originally been filed over the carrier’s unrealistic scheduling. The litigation would have been the first time an airline attempted to defend its chronic delays in court.   

“DOT’s decision to drop its lawsuit against Southwest will leave passengers worse off,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Ignoring law violations just because the offender is a corporation is not a healthy or sustainable policy. The Department’s abandonment of the litigation sends a message to travelers around the globe that our government is more interested in protecting powerful airlines than the flying public.”   

DOT’s original complaint cited Southwest’s own data submitted to the agency, highlighting nearly 150 flights that violated federal law prohibiting unrealistically scheduled routes. For example, in one of the months listed in the complaint, Southwest’s statistics showed that 22 out of 26 trips made by Flight 1614 between Baltimore, Maryland, and Cleveland, Ohio, did not arrive on time, with an average delay of 66 minutes.   

The now-withdrawn lawsuit appropriately stated that “[h]olding out these chronically delayed flights disregarded consumers’ need to have reliable information about the real arrival time of a flight and harmed thousands of passengers traveling on these Southwest flights by causing disruptions to travel plans or other plans.”  

The federal prohibition on unrealistic scheduling has been on the books since 1957. Yet, airlines had not been held accountable for violations until Transportation Secretary Buttigieg, who brought fines against JetBlue and Frontier, and the now-abandoned lawsuit against Southwest.   

Further reading:  

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

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 Denounces Illegal Attempt to Fire CPSC Commissioners

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Media Contact: Maggie Oliverio, Communications Associate, 202-207-2831

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League calls on the Trump administration to rescind the illegal attempt to fire Democratic Commissioners on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

“This unprecedented assault on our nation’s regulator of household product safety is in direct contravention of the spirit and letter of the law, runs afoul of decades of Supreme Court precedent, and threatens to cripple the CPSC’s ability to carry out its lifesaving mission,” said Daniel Greene, the Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety at the National Consumers League. “Diverse opinions improve safety. Silencing the voices of subject matter experts with whom you politically disagree does not improve government efficiency. It just leads to more unnecessary deaths and more unnecessary injuries.”

Last night, Commissioners Richard Trumka and Commissioner Mary T. Boyle of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received an email from the White House purporting to fire them.  Commissioner Alexander Hoehn-Saric did not receive such an email but is being prevented from executing his duties by the Acting Chair.

Commissioner Richard Trumka’s statement is available HERE

Commissioner Alexander Hoehn-Saric statement is available HERE

Commissioner Mary T. Boyle’s statement is available HERE 

A letter from 159 advocates opposing plans to eliminate the CPSC can be found HERE

A video of victims’ parents advocating to protect the CPSC can be found HERE

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

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.    

158 Advocates Send Letter Opposing Plan to Eliminate the CPSC

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, and 156 other product safety advocates sent a letter to Russell Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, expressing their strong opposition to any attempt to eliminate, defund, or weaken the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The CPSC is an independent federal agency commissioned by Congress to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from consumer products through education, safety standards, regulation, and enforcement.  According to a draft budget document, the Trump administration is finalizing a proposal to eliminate the CPSC and transfer the agency’s functions to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“If implemented, this proposal would eradicate – not reorganize – our nation’s governance of product safety,” the product safety advocates write. “Congress deliberately established an independent agency exclusively charged with the safety of consumer products.  Such independence ensures that product safety issues are treated like the public safety imperative they so clearly are.  We urge you to preserve an independent, bipartisan CPSC and ensure the agency has the appropriate tools, resources, and personnel to carry out its lifesaving mission.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE  

A video of victims’ parents advocating to protect the CPSC can be found HERE

Letter cosigners:

National Consumers League

Consumer Federation of America

Consumer Reports

Access Ready Inc.

Action on Smoking and Health

Aden Lamps Foundation

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

Aging Life Care Association

America Walks

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Apparel & Footwear Association

Appliance Standards Awareness Project

Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP)

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Bicycle Colorado

Bike Cleveland

Bike Jeffco

Bike LA

Bike Oven

Bike Pittsburgh

Bike Walk Savannah

BikeWalkKC

BikeWalkNC

BioInjury

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners

California Bicycle Coalition

Center for Auto Safety

Center for Economic Integrity

Center for Economic Justice

Center for Medicare Advocacy

Center for Pet Safety

Charlie’s House

Child Care Aware of Virginia

ChildSavers

Citizens Action Coalition of IN

Claire Bear Foundation

CommunicationFIRST

Consumer Action

Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

Cribs for Kids

Derrick Stone Safe Sleep

Detroit Greenways Coalition

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)

Diversity In Aquatics

Earth Ethics, Inc.

East Coast Greenway Alliance

Economic Action Maryland Fund

Epilepsy Foundation of America

Families for Safe Streets

First Candle

Florida Bicycle Association

Florida Silver Haired Legislature Inc

Food Empowerment Project

Friends of the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail

Funeral Consumers Alliance of South Carolina

Georgia Watch

Government Information Watch

Green America

Haddie’s Calling

Hawai’i Bicycling League

Healthy Babies Bright Futures

HealthyWomen

Homestretch Nonprofit Housing Corp.

Human Powered Solutions LLC

Impact Teen Drivers

Jacob Bikes

Joseph A Sanzari Children’s Hospital

Just Strategy

Keeping Babies Safe

Kids and Car Safety

La Isla Network

Lead on Solutions, LLC

League of American Bicyclists

Living Streets Alliance

Local Motion

Madison Bikes, Inc.

Marin County Bicycle Coalition

MassBike

Missourians for Responsible Transportation

Move Redmond

Muscular Dystrophy Association

Napa County Bicycle Coalition

National Association of Consumer Advocates

National Bicycle Dealers Association

National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association

National Center for Healthy Housing

National Coalition for Safer Roads

National Drowning Prevention Alliance

New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition

Oregon Consumer Justice

Oregon Consumer League

Parents Against Tip-Overs

Parents for Window Blind Safety

Paterson Task Force for Community Action, Inc.

Pennsylvania Downtown Center

People Power United

Pool and Hot Tub Alliance

Propel ATL

Public Citizen

Reconnect Rochester

Responsible Sourcing Network

Ride Illinois

Ride of Silence

Safe Infant Sleep

Safety Research & Strategies

Sciencecorps

Shane’s Foundation, NFP

Shepard’s Watch Foundation

Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition

South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center

Stop Drowning Now

StopDistractions.org

SwimJim

Tempe Bicycle Action Group

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSP)

The National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association

Transportation Alternatives

Travel Goods Association (TGA)

Truck Safety Coalition

United States Swim School Association

Unleaded Kids

Virginia Citizens Consumer Council

Vision 2020 Project

Walk ‘n Rollers

Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Whirlwind Wheelchair International

Wisconsin Bike Fed

Yakima Bikes and Walks!

Alissa K. Sandler, Product Safety Advocate

Angela Williams, Product Safety Advocate

Ashley Haugen, That Water Bead Lady

Cindy Mense, Product Safety Advocate

Dr. Free N. Hess, Product Safety Advocate

Elizabeth Hemmerlin, Product Safety Advocate

Ernest Bach, Product Safety Advocate

Garrett Kellermab, Product Safety Advocate

Heather Stephens, Product Safety Advocate

Heidi Perry, Product Safety Advocate

Janet McGee, Parent Product Safety Advocate

Jayshree Kumta, Product Safety Advocate

Judith Solomon, Product Safety Advocate

Kelley Ladick, Product Safety Advocate

Lori Winkler, MSN, RN, TNS, CPEN, Product Safety Advocate

Marjon Manitius, Product Safety Advocate

Marjorie Murray, Product Safety Advocate

Mary Jagim, Product Safety Advocate

Michael Haggard, Product Safety Advocate

Pamela Gilbert, National Consumers League Board Member

Paul Susca, Product Safety Advocate

Robert W Browne, Product Safety Advocate

Sandeep Khatua, Product Safety Advocate

Sarah Sorscher, Product Safety Advocate

Sara Thompson, Parent Safety Advocate

Shayna Raphael, Product Safety Advocate

Stephen W Hargarten, Product Safety Advocate

Taylor Bethard, That Water Bead Lady & Esther’s Mom

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

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 CEO Sally Greenberg mourns the passing of Pope Francis

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By NCL CEO Sally Greenberg

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829     

Washington, DC – Having just returned from a trip to Argentina, I am especially saddened by the death of Pope Francis, whose cathedral I visited in Buenos Aires. I have admired how Pope Francis radiated love and echoed messages of humility, humanity, kindness, mercy, and decency—qualities that have become all too rare among world leaders.

Francis was a tireless advocate for the poor and the marginalized, and his papacy stood as a beacon of hope and moral courage.

In December 2023, he formally approved allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. In a declaration released by the Vatican, he affirmed, “When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection.

On the issue of immigration, Pope Francis reminded us that “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were emigrants in Egypt, refugees escaping the wrath of an ungodly king.” He called for the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, “of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends to foreign lands.”

The National Consumers League joins millions of admirers around the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis—a man of faith, conviction, and compassion, and a friend to people of all faiths.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)    

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 urges ACIP to expand RSV vaccine recommendations at April 2025 meeting

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC — This week, the National Consumers League this week strongly recommended expanding respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines for high-risk adults 50-59 years old to protect against a condition that can become severe for infants and older adults. NCL was selected to make remarks before the critically important Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ( ACIP)  Additionally, NCL encouraged the Committee to continue its work in support of increasing vaccine confidence and transparency for the public.  On April 11, 2025, the National Consumers League submitted comments in response to a request for comments at the April 15 and 16 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ACIP also discussed the COVID-19, flu, RSV, and meningococcal vaccines. At the meeting, additional discussion and updates were provided on the ongoing and growing measles outbreaks and cases across the nation. The Committee voted on recommendations for three vaccines, including RSV.

Samantha Sears, NCL’s Health Policy Associate, told the ACIP committee to expand access to RSV and other vaccines and advised that a middle ground, called shared clinical decision-making, has proven too often to result in patients not choosing to get vaccinated, which runs counter to NCL’s support for broader vaccine adoption given the vast data to support the overwhelming safety and efficacy of vaccines in preventing infection disease.

Originally, ACIP was scheduled to meet in February, but the meeting was indefinitely postponed after the confirmation of the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. NCL is pleased that the Secretary rescheduled this meeting and hopes that the remaining two meetings of ACIP in 2025 will continue as scheduled.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), comprising fifteen medical and public health experts, is charged with advising the CDC Director on the use of vaccines and the immunization schedules for adults and children. ACIP meets regularly to review data, studies, and proposals for vaccines and, as needed, for emergency cases. Meetings are open to the public and, since COVID, streamed online. The recordings of the livestream of the April 15 and April 16 meetings are available online.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)   

 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. 

CFPB layoffs significantly raise consumers’ risk of fraud 

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829    

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is calling on the Trump Administration to immediately stop the sweeping layoffs announced at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Reports that the Administration plans to lay off 1,500 positions across the CFPB’s enforcement and supervision divisions will drastically reduce the agency’s ability to fulfill its core mission of protecting consumers.    

“This is a reckless move that will leave millions of Americans more vulnerable to financial fraud and abuse,” said NCL VP of Public Policy John Breyault. “With only about 200 personnel left to oversee the financial marketplace, the Bureau’s effectiveness will be severely compromised at a time when scams, identity theft, and predatory lending are on the rise. This is yet another attempt by this administration to dismantle one of the most effective consumer protection watchdogs in the federal government.” 

The move to narrow the CFPB’s focus to only the most “tangible” harms and retreat from regulating nonbank financial actors—such as payday lenders, peer-to-peer platforms, and digital payment services—ignores the rapidly evolving threats consumers face in the financial marketplace. Many of these sectors are precisely where fraud and abuse thrive due to a lack of oversight.   

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)  

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. 

New anti-child labor campaign targets major U.S. meat companies for illegal child labor in slaughterhouses

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – Green America and the Child Labor Coalition launched a new campaign aimed at eradicating child labor and labor violations in the food production industry, with a focus on the four top U.S. meat processing companies. The campaign will focus on child labor and labor violations at Perdue Farms, JBS, Tyson and Cargill, including launching a consumer petition and engaging a network of allied grassroots groups on the ground across the country.

Once thought a relic of the past, child labor is on the rise in the United States. Major U.S. corporations are putting children as young as 13 to work in dangerous jobs they are too young to perform and that are hazardous to their health. An estimated 300,000 to 500,000 children are working in the agriculture industry alone.

In January, Perdue Farms and JBS, two of the country’s largest meat-packers, were fined a combined $8 million for relying on children to work in their slaughterhouses. Children also have been reportedly working in dangerous conditions at Tyson and Cargill facilities. To make matters worse, 31 states have worked to loosen child labor and safety laws since 2021.

Reid Maki, Child Labor Advocacy Director for the Child Labor Coalition and National Consumers League, said: “Children’s lives are on the line and there is no time to waste. In just the last two years, the U.S. has experienced fatalities and permanent, traumatic injuries involving children working at dangerous and exploitative jobs in meat-processing facilities. Companies have a legal and moral obligation to eliminate child labor in the food production industry.”

Charlotte Tate, Labor Justice Campaigns Director at Green America, said: “In the United States today, illegal child labor is resurgent because of the irresponsible business practices of corporations, including some of the top meat-packing companies. It’s appalling that multi-billion-dollar meat producers are profiting from children carrying out dangerous work cleaning in their facilities. Cargill hit record profits of up to $6 billion in recent years. JBS is even bigger, with a reported $20 billion profit last year alone. While companies are taking steps in response to federal investigations, more needs to be done to protect children from child labor and unsafe working conditions throughout their entire supply chains.”

Todd Larsen, Executive Co-Director at Green America said: “Sadly, there have been several reports of minors who suffered injuries that included mangled arms and chemical burns in food processing facilities cleaned by contractors hired by meatpacking companies. These children are working long hours, often late in the night, to do work that should only be performed by adults.”

JBS – JBS is the world’s largest meat processor. The Department of Labor recently uncovered serious child labor violations at multiple JBS facilities, revealing minors as young as 13 years old working in hazardous working conditions. These violations were found in locations in Grand Island, Nebraska; Greeley, Colorado; Worthington, Minnesota; and Marshall, Minnesota. The Department of Labor report states that these minors were exposed to and cleaned hazardous machinery during overnight shifts. JBS paid $4 million in fines in January 2025 for child labor violations in several states.

Tyson – Tyson is the second-largest meat processor after JBS. The Department of Labor recently found minors as young as 13 working in hazardous conditions at Tyson Foods facilities in Green Forest, Arkansas and Goodlettsville, Tennessee. The Department of Labor also began investigating Tyson for child labor violations at two poultry processing plants in Arkansas.

Perdue – The Department of Labor recently found children as young as 13 working in hazardous conditions in a Perdue Facility in Virginia. Tragically, while sanitizing power-driven meat-processing equipment, a child working an overnight shift was traumatically injured when his arm was caught in a machine that he was cleaning and cut to the bone in February 2022. Perdue recently agreed to pay $4 million in fines based on investigations of child labor in Virginia.

Cargill – Cargill is the world’s largest ground beef producer. The Department of Labor recently uncovered child labor violations at Cargill facilities in Dodge City, Kansas and Fiona, Texas. The investigation of Packer Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI), which was contracted by Cargill and other meatpackers, found children working with hazardous chemicals and cleaning equipment such as brisket saws and “head splitters,” often on overnight shifts.

Green America is a non-profit organization representing over 250,000 individual members and 2,000 small businesses. Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) represents millions of Americans through 37 organizations that fight to protect worker rights, human rights, and child rights. CLC members include the nation’s largest union, the National Education Association, the National Consumers League, Human Rights Watch, and the Fair Labor Association, as well as numerous groups that are also concerned about the welfare of vulnerable children at risk of child labor exploitation.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

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 deserve slave-free chocolate: new scorecard holds brands accountable     

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829     

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) and its organization, the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), are proud to participate in the launch of the Annual Chocolate Scorecard, an initiative coordinated by Be Slavery Free, an Australian coalition campaigning against modern slavery. This campaign aims to raise awareness about child labor in chocolate production, promote ethical sourcing, and empower consumers to choose chocolate that aligns with their values.     

“Consumers deserve to enjoy their chocolate without the bitter aftertaste of exploitation. The Annual Chocolate Scorecard empowers shoppers to make informed choices and demand better from the industry,” said Reid Maki, Director of the Child Labor Coalition. “While we acknowledge progress, the persistence of child labor and lack of transparency from major companies is unacceptable. It’s time for real accountability and action—not just empty promises.”     

The Chocolate Scorecard ranks companies based on traceability and transparency across supply chains, whether they pay farmers a living income, make efforts to prevent the use of child labor, take action on climate and deforestation, and eliminate the use of harmful pesticides.           

This year’s Annual Chocolate Scorecard highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in the chocolate industry. Mars Wrigley, the maker of Snickers, Twix, and Maltesers, was recognized for its efforts to support women, which helps reduce child labor. On the other hand, Cadbury’s parent company, Mondelēz, received the “Bad Egg” award for refusing to participate, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. While some companies report a drop in child labor, NGOs warn of “cocoa washing,” where progress is exaggerated.        

“Consumers are being asked to swallow record chocolate prices and shrinking products. The least they expect is chocolate free from slavery. The Chocolate Scorecard will help shoppers make smart purchases this Easter,” said Fuzz Kitto, Co-Director at Be Slavery Free. “Chocolate companies love to talk about policies and commitments, but 25 years since they promised to eliminate child labor from the supply chain, it’s time to stop ‘cocoa washing’ and innovate more effective action.”        

Overall, this year’s findings have shown improvements in transparency across the industry, with 82% of companies sharing data on child labor, compared to 45% in 2023.  Additionally, several companies were recognized for their progress and achievements this year. Dutch Company Tony’s Chocolonely, received the “Good Egg” award for excellence and transparency in the marketplace. USA chocolate manufacturer Beyond Good, gained recognition for using beans from Madagascar and Uganda, receiving the “Good Egg” Award for smaller companies. Finally, US company Mars Inc. received the Gender Award for policies and programs to empower women.   

To learn more the official scorecard is available here.    

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About the Child Labor Coalition (CLC)     

In 1989, NCL helped launch the Child Labor Coalition (CLC) to stamp out the worst forms of child labor and to protect teen workers from health and safety hazards. Today, it is co-chaired by NCL and the American Federation of Teachers and is staffed by NCL. For more information, visit https://stopchildlabor.org/