CR Behind the Scenes

Many drivers do not realize that their vehicles are collecting and sharing personal data with third parties. A CR investigation showed that automakers are tracking everything from how hard you brake to where you drive—and selling that data to companies that influence how much you pay for car insurance.

In most cases, this data is collected automatically through connected car systems and communicated through agreements that few consumers are even aware of. The information can be used to raise your insurance premiums, deny financing, or build personal profiles, all without your knowledge or meaningful consent.

CR found that very few automakers offer a clear way to access or delete this data. The lack of transparency, combined with the growing use of this information in pricing and eligibility decisions, raises major privacy concerns for consumers.

To address this, CR is urging the Federal Trade Commission to require automakers to give consumers clear, accessible control over their data. Thousands of CR members have already added their voices. Join us in taking action at: CR.org/carprivacy.

In the meantime, here are some tips to take control of your driving data:

Log in to your vehicle’s online account or app. Look for privacy settings. Many automakers allow you to turn off certain types of data collection, such as location tracking.

Submit a request to limit the use of your personal info, opt out of sharing with third-party companies, or delete your data. Some automakers offer an online form to restrict data use or delete previously collected driving data.

With your support, CR is working to ensure that advances in automotive technology do not come at the cost of your rights or your wallet.

A Consumer Reports investigation uncovered a widespread pricing problem at Kroger, one of the country’s largest grocery chains. The day after we published our story, Kroger announced it was hiring 15,000 associates to “enhance the customer experience.” 

CR revealed that many Kroger and Kroger-owned stores, including Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, and Fry’s, were charging customers an average of 18 percent more than the prices posted on sale tags. Our secret shoppers visited 26 stores in 14 states and Washington, DC, and found more than 150 pricing errors. One-third of the expired sales tags were out of date by at least 10 days, and the prices of five of the products were expired by at least 90 days. In many cases, items advertised as discounted rang up at full price.

Several Kroger employees told CR that, following the investigation’s publication on May 14, managers have directed them to systematically correct all erroneous price tags on store shelves in a matter of days, including at a Kroger store in Ohio where the company is headquartered. But Kroger, in a statement to CR, disputed those claims, saying it hasn’t issued any such orders.

CR also found that Kroger collects detailed personal information through its loyalty program, including estimated income and shopping behavior. That data may be used to customize who gets access to certain discounts, raising questions about fairness and transparency.

By shining a light on these practices, CR did what it does best: uncover problems and drive companies to do better for the people they serve. You help make this work possible every day.

In CR’s investigation of how difficult it is for parents to find out how much heavy metals are in different baby food products, we found that access to this information is often needlessly complicated.

Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury have been found in baby foods sold across the country. Even low levels of exposure can be detrimental to a child’s development, especially in infancy and early childhood. To see how companies are sharing safety information, CR and Unleaded Kids, a nonprofit focused on protecting kids from lead exposure, reviewed 39 baby food brands and evaluated how easy it is to find their testing results online.

The results were mixed. Only 16 brands, including Earth’s Best, Plum Organics, and Cerebelly, made this information easy to access. The rest buried it behind QR codes, required product purchases to access lot numbers or UPC codes, or failed to provide it at all. This makes it hard for caregivers to make informed choices in the store or online.

Now CR is calling on five major retailers that sell store-brand baby food—Walmart, Target, Kroger, Aldi, and Albertsons—to improve their transparency. Join our petition urging them to make test results easy to find and view on their websites, without barriers or delays: CR.org/babyfoodreporting

This campaign builds on years of CR’s work to reduce toxic metals in baby food and advocate for stronger standards. It is part of our larger effort to hold both brands and retailers accountable for the safety of children’s food.

Your support powers this work and gives families the tools they need to make informed choices. Together, we are raising the standard for food safety for everyone.

by Phyllis Jo Kubey

Most of us give to charity with a quick online donation or writing a check. It’s simple, but you may be missing out on tax benefits and conveniences that can help your money go further. A donor-advised fund (DAF) is one tool that helps maximize both your giving and your impact.

Think of a DAF as a charitable investment account. You contribute money (or appreciated stock), receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend “grants” to your favorite charities whenever you choose. Once contributed, the money stays in the DAF for charitable giving purposes—it can’t come back to you—but you decide how and when it gets distributed. Many brokerage firms, community foundations, and national charities offer DAFs, often with relatively low minimums.

Here are five reasons I use a DAF for my giving: