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Consumer Daily Reports

Recalls this week include childrens toys, kitchen appliances, household ladders, and even wireless power banks

By News Desk of ConsumerAffairs
August 15, 2025

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Childrens Spiral Tower Toys

  • Hazard: Contains small balls, violating the small ball ban for under-threes; choking hazard.

  • Remedy: Refund.

  • Units: ~260.

  • Details: Sold on Shein.com in May 2025 for about $3. Toy includes three levels, a basketball hoop face, and three yellow balls.

  • Incidents: None reported.

  • Contact: STWUQIKONG at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

  • Recall No.: 25-433.


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ESR HaloLock Wireless Power Banks

  • Hazard: Lithium-ion battery can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards.

  • Remedy: Refund.

  • Units: ~24,000 (plus ~9,900 in Canada).

  • Details: Models 2G520, 2G505B, 2G512B in multiple colors; LED display lights on one side.

  • Incidents: 9 fires reported, $20,000 in property damage; no injuries.

  • Sold At: Amazon, Home Depot, ESRTech.com (20232025, $32$40).

  • Contact: Waymeet at 888-990-0280 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

  • Recall No.: 25-437.


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Wolfgang Puck Stainless Steel Petite Tea Kettles

  • Hazard: Loose infuser basket lid can fall off, causing burns and scalds.

  • Remedy: Repair (free replacement lid).

  • Units: ~40,000.

  • Details: 14 oz. stainless kettles sold in beige, black, pink, and red. Lot codes: 022020032023.

  • Incidents: 10 reports, 5 burn injuries.

  • Sold At: HSN.com & HSN TV (20202025, ~$20).

  • Contact: Synergy Housewares at 855-837-4111 or claims.synergyhousewares.com/recall.

  • Recall No.: 25-432.


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Drinkmate 1L Carbonation Bottles

  • Hazard: Bottles can explode, causing laceration, impact, and hearing injuries.

  • Remedy: Free replacement bottle.

  • Units: ~106,200 (plus 5,000 in Canada).

  • Details: PET bottles with caps/bases in red, blue, white, black. Expiration dates 01/202610/2026.

  • Incidents: 8 explosions, 4 injuries.

  • Sold At: iDrinkProducts.com, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot (20232024, ~$20 or $130 with OmniFizz kit).

  • Contact: Drinkmate at 844-812-6241 or idrinkproducts.com.

  • Recall No.: 25-435.


Firefly Safe & Green 32 oz. Fuel Bottles

Photo
  • Hazard: Nozzle applicator not child-resistant; poisoning hazard to children. Also mislabeled Non-Toxic.

  • Remedy: Repair (corrected label + child-resistant lid).

  • SUnits: ~11,275.

  • Details: Clear bottles with Safe & Green label; sold online 20192025 (~$20).

  • Incidents: None reported.

  • Contact: Firefly Fuel at 888-472-6740 or fireflyfuel.com.

  • Recall No.: 25-434.


Photo

Werner Multi-Max Pro Ladders (20 and 24)

  • Hazard: Locking mechanism can jam, ladder may collapse; fall hazard.

  • Remedy: Refund.

  • Units: ~122,250.

  • Details: Silver ladders with blue tops; models ALMP-20IAA and ALMP-24IAA.

  • Incidents: 18 falls, 14 injuries (bruises, lacerations, fractures).

  • Sold At: Home Depot stores and online (20212024, $200$281).

  • Contact: Werner at 888-624-1907 or wernerco.com/recalls.

  • Recall No.: 25-431.


Photo

Viewrail Floating Stair/Rail LED Modules

  • Hazard: Modules can overheat and melt, posing fire hazard.

  • Remedy: Free replacement or refund.

  • Units: ~2,720.

  • Details: Model E2-WR, rectangular white modules inside stair stringers.S

  • Incidents: 20 reports of overheating; no injuries.

  • Sold At: Viewrail.com (20232025, ~$80).

  • Contact: Viewrail at 888-500-2151 or viewrail.com/recall.

  • Recall No.: 25-436.


Photo

Remington Hair Dryers (Model D3190DCDN)

  • Hazard: Lack of immersion protection; risk of electrocution if dropped in water.

  • Remedy: Refund.

  • Units: ~56,300.

  • Details: Purple/black hair dryers with Remington logo.

  • Incidents: None reported.

  • Sold At: Walmart, Target, Amazon marketplaces (20242025, $25$32).

  • Contact: Empower Brands at 1-844-695-2134 or remingtonproducts.com/product-recalls.

  • Recall No.: 25-430.


Safety Tip of the Week: Never dispose of recalled lithium-ion batteries (like the ESR HaloLock power banks) in household trash or curbside recycling. Contact your local hazardous waste collection center for safe disposal.

Check back every Friday for the latest safety recalls. For complete recall details, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov.




Posted: 2025-08-15 19:52:29

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More News From This Category
Consumer News: Why Target workers are being told to smile from 10 feet away
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:07:07 +0000

Is this friendly faces or retail theater?

By Kyle James of ConsumerAffairs
November 17, 2025
  • What 10-4 is: Training that tells Target employeesto smile or wave within ~10 feet and greet/offer help within ~4 feet

  • Why Targets doing it: To create a warmer, Disney-like experience, lift sluggish sales, and likely make potential shoplifters feel more watched

  • What it means for you: Expect more greetings as you walk the aisles, but you can still just nod, say Im just looking, and judge Target on whether lines and store organization actually improve


Target is rolling out a new internal training program called 10-4 that tells store employees exactly how to interact with shoppers as they walk the aisles. Right down to when they should smile, wave and even start a conversation.

The company says the program is about kindness and generosity and making visits feel more magical, and its arriving just as retailers head into whats likely to be the first-ever $1 trillion U.S. holiday shopping season.

It also comes as Target tries to pull out of a sales slump under incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, who takes over in February 2026 with a mandate to improve store experience and reignite growth.

What is Targets 10-4 training?

According to Target, 10-4 is an internal team-member training program, not a formal policy in the employee handbook. It was shared with store workers ahead of the 2025 holiday season.

Under the guidance:

  • At about 10 feet: Employees are trained to smile, make eye contact, and wave if theyre near a shopper and to use friendly, approachable and welcoming body language.
  • At about 4 feet: Theyre told to personally greet the guest, keep smiling, and start a warm, helpful interaction. For example, asking how the shoppers day is going or whether they need help finding something.

Target has stressed to the media that these are guidelines within training, not a disciplinary rule labeled policy.

A Target spokesperson told Fox Business that with this enhanced training focused on kindness, the goal is to make each visit feel more special and show appreciation for store workers efforts.

How could 10-4 change your Target run?

If the program sticks and is consistently followed, shoppers may notice:

More greetings, more often. Instead of just one Hi, welcome to Target at the front, you may get quick check-ins from staff in multiple departments as you walk the aisles.

Fewer invisible employees. The idea is that if a worker is near you, theyre supposed to acknowledge you even if theyre stocking shelves or walking by on their way somewhere else.

A more Disney-like script. The smile-within-10-feet concept is similar to guest-service norms that have existed for years at theme parks and some other big retailers, but Targets version is unusually explicit and has been widely publicized.

How are workers and shoppers reacting?

Because 10-4 leaked quickly into news reports and social media, reaction has been mixed:

Some employees say online that the smile-and-wave expectation feels forced or awkward, especially when stores are busy and theyre juggling multiple tasks. Employees also said they can easily tell when a shopper would not be bothered versus those that are looking for some interaction.

While not specifically noted, I think theres an anti-theft element to this as well. Shoppers with bad intentions are less likely to steal if they have employees acknowledging them and paying attention to them.

Also, some shoppers like being acknowledged while others say they prefer to browse without being approached unless they clearly ask for help.

Target, for its part, points to its research suggesting that key consumer metrics improve when guests are greeted or acknowledged, and argues that a warmer in-store atmosphere can help stop the sales slide.

What this means for you as a shopper

For now, heres the practical impact you might notice:

  • Expect more check-ins. You may get a smile or wave just because an employee walked within 10 feet of you. Thats the training, not someone trying to hover while you shop.
  • You dont have to engage. Theres obviously no requirement for shoppers to respond. A quick nod or Im just looking is enough if you dont want help.
  • Watch whether the basics improve. The bigger test of Fiddelkes turnaround isnt how many smiles you see, but whether wait times and store organization actually gets better during peak holiday crowds.

Read More ...


Consumer News: Wheelchair restraint failures, fire risks dominate this week's Auto Safety Recall Derby
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:07:06 +0000

Air bag explosions, engine fires also created several recalls

By News Desk of ConsumerAffairs
November 17, 2025

This weeks Auto Safety Recall Derby spans everything from school buses and commercial trucks to luxury SUVs, off-road icons, and even a popular Yamaha scooter. While air bag problems and fire risks remain recurring themes, the most striking pattern is the sheer number of vehicles recalled for wheelchair restraint retractor failuresan issue that appears across multiple bus manufacturers, potentially affecting fleets nationwide.

The first cluster of recalls comes from Corp. Micro Bird, which issued multiple notices (25V751, 25V752, 25V770) covering G5 and T-Series school and transit buses from model years 20232026. The problem: wheelchair restraint retractors that may not lock properly. If the system fails during a crash or sudden stop, a wheelchair user could be thrown, resulting in serious injury. Similar defects appear again later in the week involving Coach and Equipment Phoenix buses (25V772), Nova Bus LFS models (25V773), and two major recalls from Forest River Bus (25V779, 25V780). In all, wheelchair-restraint failures make up five separate recall events, suggesting a possible upstream supplier or design issue affecting multiple OEMs.

Commercial vehicles also feature prominently. McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing announced two recalls (25V754 and 25V755) for missing or non-compliant reflex reflectors and rear clearance lightsseemingly small omissions that still violate federal visibility standards and can increase crash risk. Meanwhile, Daimler Trucks North America issued one of the weeks more serious heavy-truck recalls (25V760), warning that loose axle clamp fasteners in certain Freightliner and Western Star models could cause a loss of vehicle control.

Two separate recalls from Wabash National Corporation (25V762 and 25V774) involve insufficient rear-impact protection on Stepdeck trailers. Non-compliant underride guards are a high-stakes safety issue because they protect passenger cars during rear-end collisions with large trailers.

On the light-vehicle side, General Motors issued multiple recallsincluding one very serious one. Recall 25V764 warns that roof-rail air bag inflators in the 2014 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze may rupture, an echo of past inflator crises. GM also reported a power brake assist failure risk (25V768) in Chevrolet Silverado 4500/5500/6500 trucks due to damaged wiring harnesses, and a defect that may prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying (25V769) in the 2026 GMC Hummer EV lineup.

Chrysler (FCA US) added two high-impact recalls: 25V765 warns that driver air bags may fail to deploy in 20212022 RAM 15005500 trucks, while 25V766 involves plug-in hybrid 4xe models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler, where engine failure may lead to engine fires or a sudden loss of drive power.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing issued a large recall (25V767) for the Lexus GX, Lexus LX, and Toyota Tundra, noting that debris inside the engine could cause an engine stallraising risks especially at highway speeds or in heavy traffic.

In the RV and powersports sector, Keystone RV recalled Voltage models (25V771) because generator fuel lines may have been incorrectly installed, potentially increasing fire risk. Winnebago Towable recalled Micro Minnie trailers (25V776) for a cooktop flame that may invert, and Yamaha announced a major recall for the 20182022 XMAX scooter (25V778), warning that a loose camshaft bolt could cause engine failure.

Taken together, this weeks recalls touch nearly every corner of the vehicle marketfrom school buses and heavy-duty work trucks to high-end SUVs, pickups, RVs, and scooters. Owners and fleet operators should check their VINs promptly and schedule free repairs where needed.

Prevention Tips: Staying Ahead of Recalls

  • Check for recalls at least twice a year. Dont wait for a letter that might never come.
  • Prioritize school buses and transit vehicles. Fix wheelchair restraint, seat belt, and brake issues immediately.
  • Dont ignore lighting and reflector recalls. Visibility failures are a major cause of heavy-vehicle crashes.
  • For hybrid and EV owners, monitor for warning lights, smoke, strange smells or sudden power loss; park outside if a fire-risk recall is pending.
  • Listen to your vehicle. Unusual noises, pulling, vibration or changes in braking or steering are warning signs.

What To Do If Your Vehicle Is Affected

To find out if your specific vehicle is part of a recall, enter your license plate or vehicle identification number in our Recall Look-up Tool. If your vehicle has an unrepaired recall, contact your local car dealership and make an appointment to get your vehicle fixed for FREE.

  1. Locate your VIN (on your registration, insurance card, or at the base of the windshield).
  2. Enter your VIN or license plate number into the Recall Look-up Tool.
  3. If an open recall appears, call your dealership to schedule a repair.
  4. Repairs for safety recalls are free by federal law, regardless of vehicle age or ownership changes.
  5. If parts are not yet available, ask to be put on a priority list and request a loaner or alternate transportation for severe safety issues.
  6. Report unresponsive dealers or recurring problems to NHTSAs Vehicle Safety Hotline.


Read More ...


Consumer News: Prices for Ozempic and Wegovy continue to fall
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:07:06 +0000

But only for consumers who pay cash, not with insurance

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs
November 17, 2025
  • Novo Nordisk announced it is cutting the cash-pay pricing for its popular semaglutide drugs: Wegovy will now be offered at $349 per month for most doses and for cash-pay patients, while Ozempic will be similarly priced (with the highest 2 mg dose remaining at $499).

  • The company is also launching an introductory offer: new cash-pay patients for the lowest two doses of Wegovy or Ozempic may pay as little as $199 per month until March 31, 2026.

  • While the price cuts aim to broaden access and counter competition from other GLP-1 and obesity treatments (notably Zepbound from Eli Lilly), medical experts warn that even at $349 a month many uninsured or under-insured patients will still face affordability issues.


Earlier this year Novo Nordisk lowered the out-of-pocket cost to consumers who were paying cash for GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, rather than using insurance. Those costs are now going even lower.

The changes come as the company navigates mounting competitive pressure, rising demand and the broader debate around pharmaceutical pricing and access.
For patients without insurance covering these medications, the new pricing structure breaks down as follows:

  • Wegovys most common monthly cost for cash-pay patients drops from the earlier figure (around $499 or more) to $349 a month for most doses.

  • Ozempic, primarily a diabetes drug but also used off-label for weight-management in some cases, is now offered for $349 a month for most doses under the cash-pay program except the highest (2 mg) strength, which remains at $499.

  • On top of that, for new cash-pay patients using the lower two dose strengths of either drug, theres a time-limited introductory price of $199 per month (until March 31, 2026) through certain channels.

  • The offer is available through Novos direct-to-consumer pharmacy service (NovoCare) and partners such as GoodRx, as well as participating home-delivery and retail pharmacy arrangements.

Competitive and access pressures

Novo Nordisks decision comes amid several converging pressures:

  • Demand for GLP-1 / semaglutide-based treatments has surged in recent years, both for diabetes and obesity, placing strain on supply and raising scrutiny over pricing.

  • Competitors such as Eli Lilly are expanding in the obesity and weight-management space (for example Zepbound), which prompts Novo to respond more aggressively on pricing and access.

  • The company also cited a desire to steer patients away from non-approved compounded versions of semaglutide (which may be less safe) by making the official brand versions more accessible.

  • This strategy reflects a broader trend: direct-to-consumer (D2C) distribution (via NovoCare) and lower list pricing for cash-pay patients as a way to reach populations not well served by insurance coverage.

What this means for patients

For many consumers especially those who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover obesity-treatment drugs the price drop is likely welcome. A $349 monthly price point brings the cost into a lower tier compared with earlier figures.

However, industry experts caution that it does not automatically mean the treatment is affordable for everyone. According to one analysis, many patients struggle with high monthly drug costs even in the $100-$200 range.


Read More ...


Consumer News: YouTube TV and Disney reach deal to lift the blackout
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:07:07 +0000

Subscription costs are not going up for now

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs
November 17, 2025
  • New multi-year carriage agreement restores full access to Disney-owned channels on YouTube TV

  • Subscribers will see no immediate price increase, according to both companies

  • The deal includes expanded on-demand rights and improved streaming reliability commitments


YouTube TV and Disney have reached a new multi-year carriage agreement that will keep Disney-owned networks including ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic, and Disney Channel available to the live TV streaming services subscribers. The deal ends weeks of uncertainty for customers who had been warned that contract negotiations were approaching a deadline during the height of college and professional sports seasons.

In a joint announcement, the companies said the agreement maintains the full suite of Disney linear channels, along with a package of expanded on-demand rights that will give YouTube TV subscribers access to more recently aired episodes and select library programming. The companies also highlighted new technical commitments designed to reduce streaming glitches during high-traffic events, such as live sports.

No price hike attached for now

Both companies said the new deal would not result in an immediate price increase. YouTube TV, which already sits at the higher end of the live-streaming market, has raised its monthly rate several times in recent years as content licensing costs have climbed. Analysts say subscribers will likely be watching closely to see whether future price adjustments emerge.

For now, YouTube TV emphasized that the agreement supports its goal of keeping the service simple, predictable, and competitive as the broader streaming landscape remains in flux.

What it means for subscribers

For consumers, the agreement means uninterrupted access to popular sports programming especially ESPNs NFL, NBA, and college sports coverage as well as Disney-owned entertainment and news channels. The companies also noted that the deal includes improvements to program guides, more consistent video quality across devices, and expanded rights for DVR storage on some Disney networks.

If past carriage disputes between pay-TV providers and major media companies are any indication, subscribers have become increasingly vocal about the impact of contract renegotiations on both pricing and channel availability. This agreement appears to avert a repeat of those frustrations.

The deal arrives at a time when live TV streaming services are grappling with rising programming costs, fragmenting media rights, and consumers who are increasingly selective about the number of subscriptions theyre willing to maintain.

Disney continues to push forward with its direct-to-consumer strategy, while YouTube TV remains one of the few streaming bundles still offering a broad lineup of traditional cable channels.

While neither company shared the financial details of the agreement, both framed it as a long-term win for consumers at least for the moment.


Read More ...


Consumer News: How safe are the hospitals in your area?
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:07:06 +0000

New ranking shows strong system influence on hospital performance

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs
November 17, 2025
  • Roughly one in four U.S. hospital inpatients are harmed by preventable errors each year.

  • A hospitals are overwhelmingly part of large health systems, Leapfrogs analysis finds.

  • Utah leads the nation in hospital safetyfor the fifth grading cycle in a row


A lot of factors influence a hospitals safety record, but being part of a larger health system appears to increase patient safety.

The Leapfrog Group has released its fall 2025 Hospital Safety Grade, a nationwide assessment that assigns every general hospital in the U.S. a letter grade A, B, C, D, or F based on how well they protect patients from medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

These are harms that remain both common and largely preventable, affecting an estimated one in four hospital inpatients and contributing to as many as 250,000 deaths a year.

As Leapfrog marks its 25th anniversary, the organization is taking a deeper look at how health system consolidation may be influencing hospital performance and patient safety outcomes. Patients can see how hospitals in their area rank here.

Health systems dominate the top performers

In this years analysis, 90% of all graded hospitals were part of a larger health system. That figure climbed even higher among top performers:

  • 94% of hospitals earning an A were system-affiliated.

  • 95% of Straight A hospitals those that have maintained an A for more than two years belonged to health systems.

  • All 11 hospitals that have received an A in every grading cycle since 2012 were also system-affiliated.

Leapfrog defines a health system as a network of health care facilities managed or owned by a single parent organization. The group also highlighted the 10 systems with the highest numbers of A and Straight A hospitals. While the Defense Health Agency appeared among system leaders, it was not included in Straight A recognition because its hospitals have not been eligible for enough grading rounds; they will qualify beginning in 2026.

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said the milestone year prompted a closer look at the role of system leadership.

We want to understand if system leadership accelerates patient safety or not, Binder said. Transparency has always been our hallmark, and understanding how consolidation affects patient outcomes is a natural next step.

State rankings: Utah holds the lead again

Each grading cycle, Leapfrog also evaluates states based on the proportion of hospitals receiving an A. In the fall 2025 rankings:

  • Utah topped the list for the fifth consecutive cycle.

  • Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut, and North Carolina rounded out the top five.

  • Four states Iowa, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming had no A-rated hospitals this time.

These state-level findings highlight ongoing geographic disparities in hospital performance and patient safety, reinforcing the need for continued transparency and accountability in healthcare systems nationwide.


Read More ...


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