The top two subscription tiers will go up in price

• Following a price increase for subscribers ahead of last summers Olympics, Peacock is once again raising rates.

• Both the Premium and the Premium Plus tiers will go up $3/month.

• Peacock is announcing a new Select membership thats lower-cost but with access to limited titles.

Last summer, Peacock raised subscription prices.

Now, the streaming service is once again raising prices. This time, though, the increase is the largest one in the companys history, and it goes into effect in just a few days for new customers.

Whats different?

Heres a breakdown of whats different:

• Peacock Premium: $10.99/month (was $7.99/month)

  • Annual: $109.99/year (was $79.99/month)

• Premium Plus: $16.99/month (was $13.99/month)

  • Annual: $169.99/year (was $139.99/year)

With Premium Plus, subscribers get no ads, aside from during live sports broadcasts, as well as the ability to access local NBC 24/7 and download any titles for off-line watching.

For new customers, these price changes go into effect on Wednesday, July 23. If youre an existing subscriber, youll have an extra month to prepare, as the price hike is set to go into effect on August 23.

A new subscription tier

For those looking for a lower-cost option, Peacock will also be testing out a new subscription tier, Peacock Select. However, you wont have access to every movie, TV show, or documentary thats available with the higher-cost tiers.

For $7.99/month or $79.99/year, Peacock Select subscribers will get access to an assortment of current shows airing on Bravo and NBC, as well as a selection of backlogged movies and TV shows.

Massive retailers respond differently to tariffs

• The Wall Street Journal says Amazon increased prices on over 1,200 low-cost essentials despite pledge to hold the line

• Walmart dropped prices on the same products by nearly 2%, diverging sharply from Amazon, the WSJ said

• Retailers navigate political pressure and supply shocks as tariff policies continue to evolve

As the U.S. grapples with the economic fallout of sweeping new tariffs imposed earlier this year by President Trump, a Wall Street Journal analysisfoundthat Amazon has quietly raised prices on many of its most affordable household products despite previously stating it would avoid such increases.

Amazon denied the Journal's claims.This story is false and misleading. We have not seen the average prices of products offered in our store change up or down appreciably outside of typical fluctuations across millions of items on Amazon," an Amazon spokespersonsaid.

The investigation, which examined nearly 2,500 items using pricing data from e-commerce tracker Traject Data, found that Amazon increased prices on more than 1,200 of its lowest-cost items ranging from deodorant to protein shakes and pet supplies while competitor Walmart lowered prices on the same items by almost 2%.

These moves come as retailers respond to an increasingly volatile business environment shaped by rising import costs, political pressure, and rapidly shifting consumer demand. Analysts say the changes signal differing strategies as the nations largest retailers position themselves amid the tariff storm.

Amazon contends that the study's sample size was not nearly large enough.

"This study is seriously flawed, cherry picking a mere 2,500 items out of the hundreds of millions we sell, and failing to accurately compare like-for-like offers in stock and available for sale across retailers," the Amazon spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs in an email.

"For the full set of 2,500 items investigated, we found the vast majority had no price change or a price decrease, and further we were still competitively priced compared to other retailers."

Did Amazon defyits April pledge?

In April, Amazon publicly vowed to hold the line on prices. But internally, the company struggled to absorb new costs. According to Corey Thomas, an Amazon vendor consultant, thin profit margins and high shipping costs on inexpensive items have made it harder for Amazon to keep prices low.

By contrast, Walmart has greater flexibility due to its network of brick-and-mortar stores, where in-store purchases of higher-margin products can subsidize losses on cheaper online items.

One example cited by the Journal comes from Dayglow, an Ohio-based manufacturer of stackable metal baskets. Amazon sold the baskets for $9.31 in February. By late April, the price had soared to $19.99 even though Dayglow hadnt increased its own prices to Amazon.

Company CEO Nick Morrisroe said his firm faced tariffs as high as 145% on goods in transit from China. While the final tariff rate was reduced to 30%, the uncertainty alone was enough to prompt him to begin negotiating with non-Chinese suppliers and consider raising prices.

Walmart slashes prices, gains competitive edge

The Journal said that while Amazon boosted prices on everyday essentials items that account for one in three units sold on its platform Walmart moved in the opposite direction. Its cuts helped it maintain a reputation for affordability just as inflation and tariff fears rattled consumers.

But an Amazon source who was not authorized to speak publicly noted that there are "hundreds of millions of items available in the Amazon store," so a price comparison of a small sampling of 2,500products is not an accurate reflection of Amazon overall.

The Amazon source also quoted recent independent analysis from Profitero that named Amazon the lowest-priced U.S. retailer for eight years in a row, showing that Amazons online prices were an average of 14% less expensive than all major U.S. retailers in 2024, including up to 6% less on everyday essentials. Learn morehere.

Target also said it is prioritizing internal cost controls over raising prices. Across the industry, many retailers are reportedly using coded language in investor communications to avoid political scrutiny. Earlier this year, Amazon scrapped a plan to display tariff-related price increases on its bargain site, Haul, after criticism from the White House, which labeled the idea a hostile and political act.

President Trump himself took a hard line, warning businesses to EAT THE TARIFFS in May shortly after Walmart publicly said prices would rise in response to import taxes.

Prices still volatile as retailers await clarity

Price movements have fluctuated for various reasons, including seasonal sales, inventory changes, and inflationary pressures. Amazon did cut prices on higher-end items, particularly around its Prime Day event from July 8 to July 11, though those prices rebounded after the promotion ended.

The broader impact of tariffs remains somewhat muted. According to Harvard Business School researcher Alberto Cavallo, prices on imported goods have risen about 2% since March. He notes that the ongoing lack of clarity is leading retailers to make pricing changes more cautiously and incrementally.

Amazon, for its part, defended its pricing strategy. In a statement, the company said, We have not seen the average prices of products offered in our store change up or down appreciably. Our commitment to offering low pricesnot relative percentage changesis what delivers the most value to our customers.

Still, with inflation accelerating and tariff deadlines looming despite a recent extension to August 1 the cost of household basics may continue to rise, especially for consumers who rely on e-commerce for essential goods.

Pumpkin-flavored coffees and creamers are already in grocery stores nationwide

• Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte, and its full fall menu, will return to cafes across the country on August 26.
• In addition to the classic pumpkin spice latte, the coffee chain has a few new fall menu items.
• Coffee lovers can find fall creamers and coffees now in grocery stores nationwide.

If youre ready for a crisp chill in the air and some pumpkin in your coffee cup, you wont have to wait much longer.

Starbucks officially announced the return of its pumpkin spice latte (PSL) and the rest of its 2025 fall menu will be back in stores starting August 26.

The date marks the latest debut of the PSL to Starbucks cafes in the last four years. However, consumers will have just over a month more of waiting for its return.

The fall menu

Heres what Starbucks lovers can expect with the new fall menu drop on August 26:

• Pumpkin Spiced Latte, hot or iced

• Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai

• Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

• Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, hot or iced

• New item: Pecan Oatmilk Cortado

• New item: Italian Sausage Egg Bites

Shop pumpkin in stores now

If you cant wait another month for pumpkin-flavored drinks, Starbucks fall-flavored coffees and creamers have already hit grocery stores nationwide.

The seasonal items are only available for a limited time, but heres what shoppers can get their hands on this year:

• Starbucks Iced Espresso Pumpkin Spice Latte, 40 oz.: $6.99

• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Chilled Coffee Drink, 13.7 oz: $4.19

• StarbucksPumpkin Spice Flavored Coffee:

  • Ground coffee: $11.99-13.99 for 10-oz. bag, $15.49-16.49 for 17-oz. Bag

  • K-Cup pods: $10.49-12.49 for 10-count, $13.99-15.99 for 22-count, $25.49-27.49 for 32-count, $33.99-35.99 for 44-count

  • Coffee Capsules for Nespresso Vertuo Machines: $11.98 for 8-count

• Starbucks Fall Blend Coffee:

  • Ground coffee: $11.99-13.99 for 10-oz. bag, $15.49-16.49 for 17-oz. bag

  • K-Cup pods: $10.49-12.49 for 10-count, $13.99-15.99 for 22-count, $25.49-27.49 for 32-count, $33.99-35.99 for 44-count

• Starbucks Smoked Butterscotch Flavored Coffee:

  • Ground coffee: $11.99-13.99 for 10-oz. bag, $15.49-16.49 for 17-oz. bag

  • K-Cup pods: $10.49-12.49 for 10-count, $13.99-15.99 for 22-count, $25.49-27.49 for 32-count, $33.99-35.99 for 44-count.

• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Concentrate, 32 oz.: $11.99 $13.99

• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Inspired Creamer and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Inspired Non-dairy Creamer, 28 oz: $5.99

• New item: Starbucks Maple Pecan Latte Inspired Non-dairy Creamer, 28 oz: $5.99

  • This item is exclusively at Target

Note: all prices are Starbucks suggested retail prices, and actual prices may differ based on location or retailer.

Simpler statements can work both ways, study finds

• Simpler retirement account statements increased savings when firms had strong returns

• But for poorly performing firms, simplification actually reduced contributions

• Findings challenge assumptions of policy experts and have major implications for global savings policy

A new academic study reveals that simplifying retirement account statements can encourage people to save morebut only if theyre invested with a well-performing firm. When consumers saw clearer, easier-to-read statements from firms with poor returns, they actually contributed less.

The research, based on two large-scale field experiments involving more than 127,000 customers in Mexico, challenges the widely held belief that simpler communication always leads to better financial outcomes.

While simplification made key information easier to understand and remember, it also amplified consumers focus on whether their retirement provider was performing wellleading many to reduce contributions if the firm was ranked low.

The study was recently publishes in the Journal of Consumer Research.

A surprising backfire for low-ranked firms

The study, conducted in partnership with two Mexican retirement firms, found that simplified statements led to increased voluntary savings among customers of the higher-ranked firm, but reduced savings among customers of the lower-ranked one.

This result caught both researchers and policy experts off guard. In surveys before the experiment, none of the 74 policymakers and marketing experts polled predicted that simplification could lead to a negative effect. Over 70% assumed that simpler statements would boost savings across the board.

Even a follow-up survey of 200 everyday Mexican citizens showed most people believed simplified forms would improve savingsregardless of firm performance.

Why simplification had mixed results

The researchers suggest the key lies in a concept called processing fluencyhow easily people can absorb information. When people better understand their account statements, theyre more likely to act on what they learn.

That can be good news if the information is positivesuch as a high-performing fundbut bad news if it highlights poor returns. In those cases, the study suggests, simplification may unintentionally discourage people from saving altogether.

Laboratory experiments confirmed that people who saw simplified statements remembered their firms rank more accuratelyand that this clarity amplified their response, either positively or negatively.

A path forward: Help people switch

To counter the negative effects for customers in poorly performing funds, the researchers tested a new approach: simplifying the process for switching to a better provider. When customers received clearer instructions on how to switch firms, those with low-ranked providers were significantly more likely to move their savings.

This finding points to an important policy opportunity. By not only simplifying statements but also making switching options more transparent and accessible, policymakers could help boost retirement savings even for those in underperforming funds.

Implications for global retirement policy

With millions worldwide facing retirement savings gaps, governments and financial institutions have increasingly embraced "nudge" strategies to encourage better financial behavior. Simplifying forms has become the most common intervention used in nearly 36% of policy experiments worldwide, according to a recent meta-analysis.

But this new research suggests that simplification alone isnt a silver bullet. Instead, it must be paired with strategies that help people act on the information they understandespecially when that information reveals problems with their current financial provider.

The study adds to a growing body of behavioral economics research that urges policymakers to look beyond good intentions and understand how real people react to clearer information.

As the researchers conclude, Improving the ease of processing information can change behaviorbut whether that change is helpful or harmful depends on the message the information is sending."