Consumer News: 5 Black Friday that can ruin any 'deal' (and how to avoid them)

FAA investigates the latest in a series of airline emergencies in 2026

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• United Airlines Flight 2127 was forced to turn back to Los Angeles International Airport after an engine fire was reported shortly after takeoff Monday.

• More than 250 passengers and crew were evacuated safely via slides and stairs on the tarmac; no serious injuries were reported.

• The FAA has launched an investigation, amid a spate of airline emergencies this year including other in-flight technical issues and emergency diversions.

A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner bound for Newark, New Jersey, made an emergency return to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Monday after fire warnings were reported in one of its engines, airline and aviation officials said.

United Flight 2127 departed LAX around 10:43 a.m. local time but turned back roughly 40 minutes into its journey when the cockpit crew detected indications of an engine fire, according to Federal Aviation Administration advisories.

The aircraft touched down safely at LAX at about 11:19 a.m., and more than 250 passengers and crew were quickly evacuated on inflatable slides and airstairs on the taxiway. Fire crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department surrounded the plane and worked to contain the blaze near the left engine; authorities reported no serious injuries.

United Airlines arranged to transport customers to their final destinations and praised the flight crew for their swift, calm handling of the unfolding emergency. The FAA has opened an investigation into the engine issue.

The incident briefly disrupted operations at one of the nations busiest airports, with a temporary ground stop imposed as emergency responders cleared the scene.

So far, ayear marked by in-flight incidents

It's only early March, but this emergency comes amid a series of airline incidents so far in 2026 that have tested operational and safety systems across carriers:

• In mid-February, United Airlines Flight UA1125 declared an emergency and diverted back to Denver shortly after departing for Boise due to a technical issue, prompting questions about in-flight system reliability and airline safety practices.

• Earlier in January, JetBlue Flight B61058 from Aruba to New York diverted to Fort Lauderdale after an engine failure shortly after takeoff; all passengers and crew aboard that Airbus A321neo were reported safe after the emergency landing.

• Globally, a Qatar Airways Boeing 787 flight made a precautionary emergency return to Lagos in mid-January after a critical oxygen system malfunction was detected, underscoring challenges with aircraft systems that can emerge unexpectedly.

Aviation safety experts note that while such events remain rare relative to the number of flights conducted daily, recent months have seen a notable cluster of engine- and systems-related emergencies that highlight the importance of rigorous maintenance, crew training, and rapid response protocols.

The spike in oil prices, if prolonged, could boost inflation

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global energy supplies, driving oil prices sharply higher.

• Higher oil costs increase inflation expectations, pushing Treasury yields and mortgage rates up.

• Market volatility and economic uncertainty make investors and policymakers more cautious, delaying rate cuts.

Just a week after mortgage rates fell below 6% for the first time in three and a half years, rates are climbing again. The war in the Middle East is emerging as a key driver.

The current conflict between the U.S./Israel and Iran has sparked volatility in the global energy sector. Attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the worlds oil supply, have disrupted flows and raised fears of longer-term supply constraints. In response, global crude prices have surged, with Brent crude and U.S. benchmarks climbing sharply.

Higher oil prices often filter through the economy in the form of increased costs for gasoline, heating, and freight. These price pressures can feed into broader inflation, which in turn alters expectations for interest rates and borrowing costs.

Inflation fears

Mortgage rates are closely linked not to the Federal Reserves short-term policy rate, but to the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes a benchmark that reflects investor expectations for growth, inflation, and risk. When markets anticipate higher inflation, investors demand greater yields on long-term debt.

In recent trading, yields on the 10-year Treasury have risen as traders price in the inflationary effect of elevated energy costs. Higher Treasury yields, in turn, lead lenders to raise mortgage rates to protect their profit margins.

Geopolitical conflict also breeds uncertainty. Financial markets tend to wobble when the outlook for growth and stability becomes unclear.

In this climate, the Federal Reserve may be less inclined to cut interest rateseven if domestic inflation appears to be moderatingbecause policymakers watch global risk closely. Comments from former Fed officials suggest that ongoing geopolitical tensions could delay rate cuts.

When the Fed signals a higher for longer stance on policy, long-term borrowing costs including mortgages tend to stay elevated.

Traditionally, geopolitical turmoil can trigger a flight to safety in which investors buy U.S. Treasury bonds, pushing yields down and mortgage rates lower. That dynamic appears to have played a limited role this time, in part because the market is heavily focused on inflation risks tied to oil and energy rather than a classic haven effect.

What this means for homebuyers

For prospective buyers and homeowners considering refinancing, the backdrop means that locking in a rate sooner rather than later may be prudent. If the war intensifies or oil prices remain elevated, markets could continue to price in inflation risk and push mortgage rates higher. Conversely, a quick de-escalation might ease some upward pressure, but uncertainty remains high.

Economists stress that while geopolitical events are only one piece of the puzzle, the intersection of higher energy prices, inflation expectations, and cautious monetary policy creates a potent mix that is keeping mortgage rates elevated at a time when many hoped for relief.

New data reveals how frequently retailers adjust prices and what it means for your weekly bill

• Grocery prices change far more often than shoppers realize with some products shifting two to three times per week and major retailers like Kroger adjusting even more frequently.

• Price changes are evenly split between increases and decreases, as retailers use dynamic pricing to respond to perishability, tight profit margins, supply fluctuations, and competitor moves.

• Shoppers can save by timing purchases strategically, understanding which categories are more volatile, and adjusting their approach depending on the retailer.

If youve ever felt like your grocery total looks different every single week even when you buy the same items youre not imagining it.

New research from Decodo shows that grocery retailers are constantly adjusting prices, often in real time. In fact, groceries rank third among all shopping categories for price changes. Over the past year alone, brands changed their prices more than 319,000 times.

Thats not just the occasional sale. Thats a steady, ongoing shift happening behind the scenes.

So, whats going on? ConsumerAffairs interviewed Gabriele Vitke, Senior Product Marketing Manager and dynamic pricing expert at Decodo to learn more about the ins and outs of dynamic grocery store pricing and the ways that consumers can make the most of it.

What drives dynamic pricing?

According to Vitke, there are three major factors that influence dynamic pricing in grocery stores: perishability, profit margins, and algorithmic repricing.

Perishability creates a ticking clock, she explained. Our Fresh Produce subcategory shows the highest discount cadence of any grocery segment at roughly 3.3 price changes per week per product, because a banana that doesn't sell today is worth less tomorrow.

Razor-thin margins (1-3% net) mean even a few cents matter, so retailers use constant micro-adjustments rather than periodic markdowns. Perhaps most significantly, algorithmic repricing has turned grocery shopping into an arms race. Our data shows grocery has a stability share of just 39-50% depending on the subcategory prices are in motion more often than they're standing still, and that's a direct consequence of automated systems reacting to competitor moves in near real-time.

Every retailer is different

One of the biggest takeaways for consumers: prices arent permanent!

Sticker price is increasingly a snapshot, not a fact, Vitke explained. Our data shows the average grocery product changes price two to three times per week, and at retailers like Kroger, that number jumps to 7+. The price you see on Tuesday might not be the price on Thursday.

Grocery price changes split almost perfectly 50/50 between increases and decreases across the board. The system is reactive, not aggressive. It responds to supply, demand, competition, and shelf life.

Additionally, every retailer has their own method for raising or lowering prices throughout the week.

Consumers should understand that not all retailers play the same game, Vitke said. Target and Publix favor price stability (42-67% stability share), so what you see is broadly what you get. Kroger and Amazon operate in a constant state of flux where the same item can shift price multiple times in a week.

Neither approach is better or worse but it means the shopping strategy that works at Target (grab what you need, don't overthink it) is different from the one that works at Kroger (be flexible, compare, check back).

Money-saving strategies

Given how quickly the price of things can change on grocery store shelves, Vitke has some tips to help consumers save money where they can.

• Shop on Mondays. It's the most common "best buy" day across grocery retailers, including Kroger, Walmart, Wegmans, and Publix. There's a logic to this: retailers likely reset promotional pricing at the start of the week, and weekend demand allows them to hold higher prices when foot traffic is naturally higher.

• Know which categories reward patience and which don't. Frozen foods and dairy show the highest volatility among grocery subcategories, with deep drop rates of 35-37%. These are the aisles where waiting a few days or switching brands can save real money. Pantry staples and dry goods, by contrast, have a 60% stability share. So, the price you see today is probably the same price next week, so there's less to gain from timing.

• The best savings strategy depends on the retailer, not the product. At a high-frequency repricing store like Kroger, flexibility beats loyalty. The algorithm doesn't care what you bought last week. At a high-stability retailer like Target, store loyalty programmes and occasional promotions matter more because baseline prices don't shift as much.

From late coffee to bedtime scrolling, experts reveal whats disrupting your rest

• Everyday habits like late caffeine, inconsistent bedtimes, and nighttime scrolling may be quietly disrupting your circadian rhythm and sleep quality.

• Consistency in your schedule, wind-down routine, and sleep environment is the foundation of truly restorative rest.

• Small, repeatable changes (like dimming lights, limiting screens, and protecting your sleep window) can dramatically improve mood, metabolism, and overall health.

If youve ever crawled into bed exhausted only to find yourself wide awake your bedtime routine might not be the only thing to blame.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with sleep expert Aaron M. Fuhrman, founder of Sleeplay, who explained that the real sleep saboteurs often show up much earlier in the day.

The habits many of us consider harmless an afternoon coffee, a quick evening nap, scrolling social media before bed, eating dinner at wildly different times each night can quietly interfere with your circadian rhythm and chip away at your sleep quality over time.

The good news? Once you understand which daily habits are working against you, small adjustments can make a big difference.

Dos and donts of a successful nighttime routine

If youre reconsidering your sleep routine, here are three things to start doing and three things to stop doing for better sleep.

Dos:

• Consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends, anchors your circadian rhythm.

• Wind-down time. Building in at least 30-60 minutes of intentional wind-down time helps signal to the brain that sleep is approaching; this could include reading, gentle stretching, or low-stimulus activities.

• Environmental control. Optimizing your sleep environment, cool, dark, and quiet, dramatically improves sleep quality.

Donts:

• Late-night screen exposure. Blue light from phones and TVs suppresses melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep.

• Using stimulating substances. Consuming caffeine late in the day, or alcohol close to bedtime, disrupts sleep architecture, even if it initially makes you drowsy.

• Revenge bedtime procrastination. Sacrificing sleep to scroll, work, or binge-watch creates a cycle of chronic sleep debt thats hard to undo.

Are you sabotaging your sleep?

The short answer: you might be!

Fuhrman explained that consistency and routine are the foundation of quality sleep. And on top of that, there are more ways than you think to ruin a good nights rest.

Many people unintentionally sabotage their sleep by treating bedtime as flexible rather than biological, he said. Irregular sleep schedules, even shifting by one to two hours, create a form of social jet lag.

Another major issue is overstimulation right up until lights out: answering emails in bed, watching intense shows, or engaging in emotionally charged conversations. People also underestimate how much stress carries into the night. A busy mind doesnt simply switch off when the lights go out.

Finally, relying on alcohol or sleep aids as a long-term solution can fragment sleep cycles and reduce restorative deep and REM sleep without people realizing it.

Create a beneficial nighttime routine

If quality sleep is hard to come by, you might need to rework your nighttime routine. Fuhrman shared his top tips for the most beneficial bedtime routine.

• Start by working backward from your ideal wake-up time and set a realistic bedtime that allows for seven to ninehours of sleep.

• Establish a predictable pre-sleep ritual that you repeat nightly; consistency is more important than complexity.

• Dim the lights an hour before bed, limit screens (or use blue-light filters if necessary), and keep your bedroom reserved primarily for sleep and intimacy to strengthen the mental association between bed and rest.

• Incorporating relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, journaling to offload mental stress, or light stretching can also help calm the nervous system.

• Small, repeatable cues are what train the brain to transition into sleep mode.

Sleep is not a luxury, its a foundational pillar of health alongside nutrition and movement, Fuhrman said. You cant hack your way out of chronic sleep deprivation with supplements or weekend catch-up sleep.

Quality sleep improves mood, metabolism, immune function, cognitive performance, and long-term health outcomes. The most powerful changes are often the simplest: protect your sleep window, respect your bodys rhythm, and treat your nighttime routine as an investment rather than an afterthought.

Protein has officially won the marketing war

• Most people already get enough protein. The real issue is ultra-processed foods using high-protein as a health halo while still loading up on sugar and sodium.

• Protein doesnt cancel out junk. A snack with 10 grams of protein but 30 grams of sugar is still dessert with better marketing.

• Choose whole-food protein. Greek yogurt, eggs, beans, nuts, chicken, and tofu deliver protein plus real nutrients no flashy label needed.

Its almost impossible to walk down the grocery aisle without seeing the word protein everywhere. Things like protein cereal, protein crackers, protein soda, andeven protein mashed potatoes are now available.

However, as nutrition experts at Nutrition Action point out, more protein does notautomatically mean better nutrition for you.

In fact, many Americans already meet or exceed the recommended 50 grams of proteinper day. The real issue isnt about getting enough protein; its more about ultra-processed foods wearing the protein label.

When protein is just a marketing tool

1. Pop-Tarts Boostin' Brown Sugar Cinnamon

Yes, they doubled the protein to about 10 grams per serving.

However,you are still getting 380400 calories and roughly 30 grams of added sugar.

The protein comes from added wheat and milk protein. It does not come from whole, nutrient-dense ingredients. Most of the calories in this Pop-Tart still come from refined flour and sugar.

Why its not healthy: Youre eating a sugary dessert with a protein sticker slapped on it.

2. Cheerios Protein Cookies & Creme

This cereal offers eight grams of protein, which is only three grams more than regular Cheerios. But it also adds about 10 extra grams of sugar to your breakfast bowl.

Why its not healthy: That small protein bump comes with a fairly significant sugar spike. Youre basically trading nutritional simplicity for some added sweetness.

3. Protein Pop Watermelon

This protein drink has 22 grams of protein and no added sugar, thanks to stevia.

But a 12-ounce can still contains about 90 calories, and theyre all obviously liquid calories.

Why its not healthy: Liquid protein doesnt fill you up the way real food does. This makes if very easy to drink extra calories without feeling full or satisfied.

4. Barebells Salted Peanut Caramel Soft Protein Bar

At 16 grams of protein, this looks like an impressive snack. But it also contains saturated fat, sugar alcohols (like maltitol), and artificial sweeteners.

Why its not healthy: Much of the protein comes from processed sources like milk protein and collagen, not whole peanuts. As the experts point out, grabbing a simple handful of nuts delivers protein plus healthy fats and micronutrients without the additives.

5. Idahoan +Protein Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes

The article points out that youll pay about 30% more for around four extra grams of protein per serving compared to their non-protein product. But the sodium levels remain high either way.

Why its not healthy: It comes down to this still being a highly-processed instant food. They add the great advice of adding Greek yogurt to real mashed potatoes to get the protein punch.

6. Quest Cheddar Blast Cheese Crackers

These crackers swap flour for milk protein, boosting protein to about 10 grams per ounce. But they also contain stuff like significant sodium, saturated fat, and processed fiber.

Why its not healthy: The nutrition experts point out that this product is basically Cheez-Its with milk protein instead of white flour. But they have twice as much sodium and saturated fat as Cheez-Its.

When protein actually is healthy

Protein becomes a win when it comes packaged with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Not when it has a bunch of sugar and additives.

Here are some better examples:

• Plain Greek yogurt (1520g protein per cup, plus calcium)
• Eggs (6g each, nutrient-dense and affordable)
• Beans and lentils (protein + fiber combo)
• Chicken, tofu, fish, nuts, seeds

These foods dont rely on marketing claims, as they deliver actual protein, naturally.

How to tell if a 'high-protein'food is actually healthy

1. Compare sugar to protein

If the amount of added sugar is close to or exceeds the protein grams, its likely just a marketing gimmick.

2. Look at calories per protein gram

If youre only getting 10 grams of protein in a 400-calorie pastry, it should be a hard pass.

3. Check sodium and saturated fat

Many protein snacks quietly double as salt or sat-fat bombs. Get in the habit of taking a quick look at the nutritional facts.

4. Read the ingredient list

If the ingredients are full of a bunch ofunpronounceable products, and it looks like a chemistry experiment, it probably is.