Here’s why restaurant diners are ditching wine bottles for the table

Here’s why restaurant diners are ditching wine bottles for the table

People aren’t ordering a bottle of wine for the table the way they used to, according to a new report. But industry experts say restaurants are making up for the revenue shortfall in other ways. “We believe habits have shifted away from a group ordering a bottle of (typically red) wine to share with dinner in favor of … Read more

Costco sued over alleged salmonella risk in $5 rotisserie chicken: ‘Real danger to consumers’

Costco sued over alleged salmonella risk in  rotisserie chicken: ‘Real danger to consumers’

Costco is facing a new lawsuit over its rotisserie chicken, after an animal rights nonprofit claimed that the retailer’s chicken processing plant in Nebraska suffers from salmonella contamination. The proposed class action lawsuit filed on Thursday cited a December study by Farm Forward that criticized safety conditions at Costco’s Lincoln Premium Poultry plant, which opened … Read more

Season’s fleecings: Beware of 5 holiday scams consumers keep falling for

Season’s fleecings: Beware of 5 holiday scams consumers keep falling for

’Tis the season for twinkling lights, overflowing inboxes — and scammers working overtime. As Americans rush to buy gifts, book travel and spread holiday cheer, fraudsters are decking the halls with fake deals, bogus charities and panic-inducing messages designed to empty wallets faster than a last-minute Black Friday sale. Non-payment and non-delivery scams cost people … Read more

Food additives and pesticides may be harming gut health, study says

Food additives and pesticides may be harming gut health, study says

Researchers say they’ve identified 168 chemicals that may affect gut bacteria, substances that people can encounter in a range of everyday environments. Experts from the University of Cambridge published a study Tuesday in the journal Nature Microbiology that found many everyday substances can hinder the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and it goes beyond pesticides. The scientists … Read more

Celeb-backed wellness craze can be harmful to health: ‘There’s a real danger to consumers’

Celeb-backed wellness craze can be harmful to health: ‘There’s a real danger to consumers’

One celeb-loved wellness treatment may not B healthy after all. Vitamin infusions — which deliver mixtures of vitamins, minerals and other supplements into the bloodstream through an IV — are growing in popularity thanks to claims that they quickly boost energy, immunity and hydration. IV hydration spas offering these pricey therapies are popping up across … Read more

64% of consumers say they’re being guilted into tipping — even where tips aren’t deserved: survey

64% of consumers say they’re being guilted into tipping — even where tips aren’t deserved: survey

We’re guilt-tripping over guilt-tipping. Two-thirds (65%) of American consumers are experiencing tipping fatigue — up from 60% last year and 53% in 2023, according to an annual study by Popmenu, a tech company serving more than 10,000 restaurants. Over the last year, people have paid around $150 in tips on average, which they didn’t feel … Read more

Label-conscious consumers overlook ingredients in stylish industry, new survey reveals

Label-conscious consumers overlook ingredients in stylish industry, new survey reveals

Americans are more ingredient-conscious than ever before — but not in all areas, according to new research. A survey examining the mindsets of 2,000 Americans aged 30–54 reveals a growing cultural trend: people are paying closer attention to what’s in the products they purchase regularly, whether it’s pet food, groceries, skincare products or supplements. Yet, … Read more

Over 1.1M power banks recalled after reports of fires, explosions

Over 1.1M power banks recalled after reports of fires, explosions

Anker Innovations is recalling more than 1.1 million power banks after some users reported fires and explosions. The company said a problem could potentially make the lithium-ion battery within some of its Anker PowerCore 10000 power banks overheat “leading to melting of plastic components, smoke, and fire hazards.” The recall, announced Thursday, specifically applies to … Read more

‘Unhinged’ money tips go viral as tariff strife has worried consumers trying anything to save a buck

‘Unhinged’ money tips go viral as tariff strife has worried consumers trying anything to save a buck

Save that green. Thanks to President Trump’s sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports that went into effect last weekend, the price of everything is inevitably going to increase. Well, leave it to social media to be the place to turn to when one needs to save a dollar in this economy. A now-viral TikTok video posted by … Read more

Johnsonville recalls nearly 23K pounds of bratwursts after consumers find plastic

Johnsonville recalls nearly 23K pounds of bratwursts after consumers find plastic

Federal inspectors announced the recall of about 22,672 pounds of Johnsonville cheddar bratwurst shipped to 10 states after hard plastic was reportedly found in the product by consumers. Johnsonville, based in Momence, Illinois, produced the meats on Feb. 5, 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Specifically, 19-ounce, sealed tray packages … Read more

These 4 online scams will plague consumers in 2025 — how you can avoid them

These 4 online scams will plague consumers in 2025 — how you can avoid them

New year, new scams. Fraudsters won’t give their antics a break, always discovering a new way to scam the innocent despite the extreme methods they have to go through. A recent survey conducted by GBG fraud prevention firm revealed that 79% of the 1,200 experts polled had noticed an increase in elaborate scam attacks over … Read more

Take these peanuts as a warning to start reading food labels, concerned consumers urge

Take these peanuts as a warning to start reading food labels, concerned consumers urge

Planters is nuts for this one. A concerned consumer is calling out the snack brand after discovering an alarming ingredient disparity between two versions of their dry roasted peanuts: salted and lightly salted. Over 240,000 have viewed the TikTok video shared by Vanessa Stevs, or @ness.stevs, a physician assistant student who frequently shares health guidance … Read more

Here’s how toilet paper makers are scamming you — don’t let their sup-ply games wipe out your household budget

Here’s how toilet paper makers are scamming you — don’t let their sup-ply games wipe out your household budget

What a load of crap! While the apocalyptic days of extreme toilet paper shortages may be behind us, the industry is still gaming sup-ply and demand, a new report reveals. Since 2020, the nature calls necessity has been subject to wild price increases — and in subsequent years has been subject to serious shrinkflation, analysts at … Read more

Campbell Soup dropping ‘soup’ in name — here’s why

Campbell Soup dropping ‘soup’ in name — here’s why

Campbell Soup is dropping “soup” from its name to become “The Campbell’s Company,” CEO Mark Clouse said on Tuesday, a pivot symbolizing the company’s shift to other packaged food such as jarred sauces like Rao’s and Goldfish snacks. Clouse told Wall Street at its investor day that Campbell’s is focusing on 16 top brands across its meals and beverages … Read more

Inflation inspires ‘underconsumption-core’ on social media: ‘Bragging that you’re not influenced’

Inflation inspires ‘underconsumption-core’ on social media: ‘Bragging that you’re not influenced’

An influencer’s raison d’etre is influencing their followers to buy stuff — usually on behalf of a paying sponsor. That’s why it’s so surprising that “underconsumption-core,” an increasingly popular trend in which people boast their under-spending, has emerged as a rebuttal to influencer culture. “TikTok has turned almost everything into an opportunity for consumerism,” beauty … Read more

Nearly every American has seen their cost of living increase — here’s how they’re handling the hike

Nearly every American has seen their cost of living increase — here’s how they’re handling the hike

Nearly nine in 10 Americans have seen their cost-of-living increase over the past five years, and a new study has found it’s having a massive impact on how they’re shopping, particularly online. The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found consumers now spend the most on groceries (35%), clothing (27%) and home goods (17%) when shopping … Read more

Spirit Airlines CEO calls airline industry a ‘rigged game,’ US consumers are ‘long-term losers’

Spirit Airlines CEO calls airline industry a ‘rigged game,’ US consumers are ‘long-term losers’

Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie spoke candidly about the airline industry, likening it to a rigged game and saying U.S. consumers are “the long-term losers.”   “Today, nearly all the profits of the entire U.S. airline industry are concentrated in just two companies, while the smaller non-legacy carriers scrambled to restore profitability in what seems ever … Read more

I’m a Walmart employee — here are 8 ways to save money and time shopping there

I’m a Walmart employee — here are 8 ways to save money and time shopping there

People of Walmart, listen up. A nine-year employee of the superstore’s shipping department is sharing eight pro tips on making the most of your shopping and savings. The advice follows the news that recent Walmart shoppers may be entitled to up to $500 after a $45 million lawsuit was settled regarding customers being overcharged. Speaking … Read more

Homeowners reveal what they need to create their dream home

Homeowners reveal what they need to create their dream home

One in 10 homeowners admit that their home is far from their dream, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 American homeowners showed that people have great visions for their home, but are not quite there yet, as 36% are unsatisfied with certain parts of their home. Specifically, homeowners said the areas of their … Read more

AI can now detect phony wines — here’s how it can determine fraud

AI can now detect phony wines — here’s how it can determine fraud

Call it chardonn-AI. Artificial intelligence has created an algorithm that can trace wines to their original sources, and perhaps more importantly, detect cheap knockoffs being corked as a collector’s delight. “There’s a lot of wine fraud around with people making up some crap in their garage, printing off labels and selling it for thousands of … Read more