Consumer Reports (CR), formerly Consumers Union (CU), is an American nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to independent product testing and rating, investigative journalism, consumer-oriented research, public education, and consumer advocacy. In 2025, Phil Radford became the organization’s president and chief executive officer (CEO).
Founded in February 1936, the organization has more than five million members and publishes content through both its website and a magazine, also called Consumer Reports. These are subscription-based and provide reviews, ratings, recommendations, and advice across a wide range of products and services. The organization has also been included in other digital platforms.
Consumer Reports has a policy of independence, purchasing products anonymously at retail locations, and refusing traditional advertising. Throughout its history, the organization has influenced consumer protection legislation and contributed to product recalls and redesigns.
History
right|thumb|Consumers Want to Know, a 1960 documentary on Consumer Reports
thumb|right|240px|Advertisement for the first issue of Consumer Reports from the Communist Party's arts and contemporary politics magazine, [[The New Masses]]Founded in 1936, CR was created to serve as a source of information that consumers could use to help assess the safety and performance of products. Since that time, CR has continued its testing and analysis of products and services and advocated for the consumer in legislative and rule-making areas. Among the reforms in which CR played a role were the advent of seat belt laws, exposure of the dangers of cigarettes, and more recently, the enhancement of consumer finance protection, the increase of consumer access to quality health care, and data privacy and security protections. Consumer Reports advocacy efforts focus on improving product safety and public health, saving people money, including energy and utilities, and ensuring consumers’ digital privacy and security.
Founding and early years
In 1927, F.J. Schlink and Stuart Chase published their best-selling novel, Your Money's Worth, which saw massive readership due to the consumer movement. The demand for brand research led to Schlink to found the company Consumers' Research in 1927. The company was responsible for publishing Consumers’ Research Bulletin (previously named Consumer Club Commodity List). The subscriber count in 1933 was reported to be over 42,000. It was in this year, that Consumer Research moved its operations to New York City. Following this move, employees began to unionize, citing unfair pay. Schlink proceeded to fire the strikers. The former Consumers' Research employees, teamed up with "journalists, engineers, academics, and scientists" to found the company Consumers Union—now known as Consumer Reports—in February 1936. Consumers Union differentiated themselves from Consumers' Research by establishing a community amongst readers. Within the overall mission of creating more informed consumers, Consumers Union united with women's clubs and citizen groups, creating a progressive message. Consumers Union would surpass Schlink's Consumers' Research in subscribers by 1940, accumulating a readership of 71,000.
Resistance
Numerous businesses and corporations set out to suppress the actions of Consumers Union. In an effort to suppress the critiques of Consumers' Union, The New York Herald Tribune established an institute with the goal of demonstrating that the efforts of consumers groups were futile, in that businesses already conducted extensive product-testing.
Additional suppression came later from the House Un-American Activities Committee (created in 1938), which placed Consumers Union on a list of "subversive" organizations.
In the 1950s, now known as Consumer Reports, the organization conducted reviews of seat belts in cars and showed their importance. They also reported on the dangers of cigarettes.
- T-Mobile’s acquisition of Mint: Consumer Reports joined other consumer advocates in calling on the FCC to impose a phone unlocking condition after T-Mobile proposed an acquisition of Mint Mobile.
- Net neutrality: The organization supported net neutrality protections to remain in place to provide consumers with better options.
- Right to repair: Consumer Reports’ advocates helped pass the U.S.’s first "right to repair" law in New York.
Data privacy
- Cambridge-Analytica data scandal: The organization supported stronger privacy laws in the wake of the Cambridge-Analytica data scandal.
- State Data Privacy Act: Consumer Reports and EPIC crafted a proposed State Data Privacy Act to improve consumer privacy protections in the absence of a federal law.
Artificial intelligence
- AI-Powered voice cloning: Consumer Reports raised concerns about consumer protection in light of the many AI-powered voice cloning tools available. The organization called on the Federal Trade Commission to take steps to expand enforcement and restrictions. Consumer Reports won an Anthem award for their investigation which showed AI voice cloning tools can be misused by scammers for identity theft and fraud.
Financial fairness
- Car insurance: Consumer Reports and ProPublica reported that racial disparities exist in car insurance premiums.
Food safety
- Heavy metals in baby food: Consumer Reports was involved in the passage of a law requiring manufacturers to test baby food for heavy metals. The archive, which spans more than eight decades,
As part of a wider rebranding of Consumer Reports in September 2016, the appearance of the magazine's rating system was significantly revamped. The Harvey balls were replaced with new color-coded circles: green for excellent; lime green for very good; yellow for good; orange for fair; and red for poor. It was stated that this new system will help improve the clarity of ratings tables by using a "universally understood" metaphor.
Rating and review methods
As of 2025, Consumer Reports had published more than 10,000 independent ratings and reviews of products and services. They do so anonymously, and CR accepts no free samples in order to limit bias from bribery and to prevent being given better than average samples.
Once purchased, Consumer Reports has dozens of specialized labs to review everything from exercise equipment to phones and TVs to food. CR also regularly collects data from member surveys, and factors that information into its ratings. In 2007, in response to errors in infant car seat testing, it began accepting advice from a wide range of experts on designing tests, but not on final assessments. Consumer Reports also uses outside labs for testing, including for 11 percent of tests in 2006. Nevertheless, the next year, these models included a lighter weight steering wheel rim and a steering damper, and Consumer Reports reported that the previous instability was no longer present.
Nissan Murano Crossover Utility Vehicle
In a 2003 issue of CR, the magazine tested the Nissan Murano crossover utility vehicle and did not recommend the vehicle because of a problem with its power steering, even though the vehicle had above-average reliability. The specific problem was that the steering would stiffen substantially on hard turning. CR recommended the 2005 model, which had addressed this problem.
BMW X5 SUV
BMW changed the software for the stability control in its X5 SUV after replicating a potential rollover problem discovered during a CR test.
Lexus GX 460 SUV
In 2010, CR rated the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV unsafe after the vehicle failed one of the magazine's emergency safety tests. Toyota temporarily suspended sales of the vehicle, and after conducting its own test acknowledged the problem and issued a recall for the vehicle, which later passed a CR re-test.
Tesla Model 3
In May 2018, CR said it could not recommend the Tesla Model 3 due to concerns about the car's long stopping distance. Within days, Tesla issued a remote software update. CR retested the car's brakes, then gave the Model 3 a "recommended" rating.
Technology
Apple 2016 MacBook Pro
In 2016, CR found wildly inconsistent battery life in its testing of Apple's 2016 MacBook Pro. This led to the discovery of a bug in the Safari web browser, which Apple promptly fixed via a software update.
Instacart
In 2025, an investigation by Consumer Reports showed Instacart used an AI-driven dynamic pricing experiment to sometimes charge different shoppers different prices for the same items at the same store at the same time. Following public response to the investigation, Instacart ended its AI price-testing program.
Samsung Smart Televisions
Samsung fixed certain smart televisions after Consumer Reports found they could be hacked. After CR shared its investigation, Eken issued a firmware fix.
Children's products
Fisher-Price
In 2019, Fisher-Price recalled all of its Rock ‘n Play sleepers, approximately 4.7 million, after CR published an investigation that found the product was tied to at least 32 infant deaths since 2009.
Food
Kraft Heinz
In 2024, Kraft Heinz Lunchables made for U.S. schools were pulled from school lunch programs due to low demand. A few months prior, CR had published its investigation into the school Lunchables, sharing that it had found relatively high levels of lead, cadmium, and sodium present. CR has unusually strict requirements and sometimes has taken extraordinary steps; for example it declined to renew a car dealership's bulk subscription because of "the appearance of an impropriety".
No outside advertising
Consumer Reports does not allow outside advertising because it does not want to compromise its objectivity. donations,
Publications
Digital and Print Magazine
Consumer Reports publishes content through its digital platforms and produces a print magazine. These publications both provide consumers with product advice (the results of CR’s rigorous ratings work), as well as investigative reporting. It also provides recall information and video demonstrations.
The print magazine has been published since May 1936. Like the rest of CR’s services, Consumer Reports TV accepts no advertising.
- Apple News
- Apple News+ Other newsletters from Consumer Reports cover topics including health, safety, home, and cars.
Previous publications
ShopSmart
On August 1, 2006, Consumer Reports launched ShopSmart, a magazine aimed at young women. The magazine’s last issue was produced in August/September 2015.
The Consumerist Blog
In 2008, Consumer Reports acquired The Consumerist blog from Gawker Media. It was shuttered in 2017, and its content folded into the Consumer Reports website.
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs is available free on Consumer Reports Health.org. It compares prescription drugs in over 20 major categories, such as heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes, and gives comparative ratings of effectiveness and costs, in reports and tables, in web pages and PDF documents, in summary and detailed form.
Penny Power/Zillions
Consumer Reports published a kids' version of Consumer Reports called Penny Power in 1980, later changed in August 1990 to Zillions. This publication was similar to Consumer Reports but served a younger audience. At its peak, the magazine covered close to 350,000 subscribers. It gave children financial advice for budgeting their allowances and saving for a big purchase, reviewed kid-oriented consumer products (e.g., toys, clothes, electronics, food, videogames, etc.), and generally promoted smart consumerism in kids and teens; reviews of products came from kids of the age range a product was targeted toward. It also taught kids about deceitful marketing practices practiced by advertising agencies. The magazine folded in 2000.
Consumer Reports WebWatch
In 2001, Consumer Reports launched the grant-funded project Consumer Reports WebWatch, which aimed to educate consumers about online scams and other dangers. WebWatch was backed by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Open Society Institute. After completing its study, Consumer Reports published an article entitled "Is Your Gas Range a Health Risk?" published on October 4, 2022. Ford has provided grants totaling more than $1 million in recent years.
Donations
Consumer Reports receives donations from individuals and organizations to fund various projects. In June 2019, Craig Newmark’s foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, gave the organization $6 million to test internet-connected products for data privacy and security.
Another donor is the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which donated to Consumer Reports’ Digital Standard project. This project created a set of digital rights and protections for which to evaluate manufacturers and advocate for consumer protections. The nonprofit’s website uses affiliate links in its articles for various brands, models, product types, and categories. This website was built and run by PriceGrabber.
Bose
In 1971, Bose Corporation sued Consumer Reports (CR) for libel after CR reported in a review that the sound from the system it reviewed "tended to wander about the room". The case eventually reached the United States Supreme Court, which affirmed in Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc. that CR statement was made without actual malice and therefore was not libelous.
Suzuki
In 1988, Consumer Reports announced during a press conference that the Suzuki Samurai had demonstrated a tendency to roll and deemed it "not acceptable". Suzuki sued in 1996 after the Samurai was again mentioned in a CR anniversary issue. In July 2004, after eight years in court, the suit was settled and dismissed with no money changing hands and no retraction issued, but Consumers Union did agree to no longer refer to the 16-year-old test results of the 1988 Samurai in its advertising or promotional materials.
Rivera Isuzu
In December 1997, the Isuzu Trooper distributor in Puerto Rico sued CR, alleging that it had lost sales as a result of disparagement of the Trooper by the Consumers Union of the United States (CU). A trial court granted the motion for summary judgment by the CU, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the favorable judgment.
Sharper Image
In 2003, Sharper Image sued CR in California for product disparagement over negative reviews of its Ionic Breeze Quadra air purifier. CR moved for dismissal on October 31, 2003, and the case was dismissed in November 2004. The decision also awarded CR $525,000 in legal fees and costs.
Controversial findings
Child safety seats
The February 2007 issue of Consumer Reports stated that only two of the child safety seats it tested for that issue passed the organization's side impact tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which subsequently retested the seats, found that all those seats passed the corresponding NHTSA tests at the speeds described in the magazine report.
Iams dog food
In February 1998, the organization tested pet food and claimed that Iams dog food was nutritionally deficient. It later retracted the report claiming that there had been "a systemic error in the measurements of various minerals we tested – potassium, calcium and magnesium".
Hybrid vehicles
In 2006, Consumer Reports said six hybrid vehicles would probably not save owners money. The organization later discovered that it had miscalculated depreciation and released an update stating that four of the six vehicles would save the buyers money if the vehicles were kept for five years (and received the federal tax credit for hybrid vehicles, which expired after each manufacturer sold 60,000 hybrid vehicles).
Leadership and structure
Prominent consumer advocate Ralph Nader was on the board of directors, but left in 1975 due to a "division of philosophy" with the organization. Karpatkin was appointed executive director in 1974 and retired as president in the early 2000s.
In 2023, Consumer Reports had an annual budget of over US$30 million, which supported 60 labs and teams of engineers and other employees.