Consumer News: Walmart’s return policy simplified: What you can return, what you can’t, and a few insider tips

The soup was sold exclusively at Walmart in 29 states

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Kettle Cuisine is recalling 3,240 Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kits over possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

• The 14-ounce kits, sold exclusively at select Walmart stores in 29 states, carry UPC 194346474004 and a use-by date of Aug. 22, 2026.

• No illnesses have been confirmed; consumers should discard the product or return it for a refund.

Kettle Cuisine LLC has recalled thousands of Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kits sold exclusively at Walmart because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a company announcement.

The recall covers 3,240 wrapped, 14-ounce trays bearing UPC 194346474004 and a use-by date of Aug. 22, 2026. Kettle Cuisine distributed the soup kits from June 30 through July 7 to select Walmart stores in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

The Savage, Maryland-based company initiated the recall after routine testing produced a presumptive positive result for listeria. Its investigation is continuing in coordination with the FDA. No confirmed illnesses linked to the product had been reported as of the companys Aug. 12 announcement.

Listerias effects

Listeria infections can cause fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious cases may involve headache, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions. The infection can be especially dangerous for young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, and it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth during pregnancy.

Consumers should not eat, serve, sell, or distribute the recalled soup. They should throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Because contaminated food may look and smell normal, consumers should not rely on its appearance to determine whether it is safe.

The company also recommends washing hands after handling the product and cleaning and sanitizing refrigerators, containers, utensils, countertops, and other surfaces that may have come into contact with it. Anyone who ate the soup and develops symptoms should contact a healthcare provider.

Questions may be directed to the Kettle Cuisine hotline at 617-409-1104, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

Rival ice cream maker claimed Rebels packaging was too close to its own

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Rebel Creamery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after a federal court ordered it to turn over nearly $23.8 million in profits to rival ice cream company Van Leeuwen.

• A federal judge found that Rebel intentionally infringed and diluted Van Leeuwens distinctive packaging trade dress and ordered Rebel to redesign its ice cream pints.

• Rebel, whose low-carb ice cream is sold by major retailers including Walmart, Target, and Kroger, listed both assets and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million in its bankruptcy filing.

Rebel Creamery has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, less than a month after losing a long-running legal battle with rival ice cream maker Van Leeuwen that resulted in a nearly $23.8 million judgment.

The Utah-based maker of low-carb ice cream filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah, according to published reports. Rebel listed between $10 million and $50 million in assets and the same range in liabilities.

The bankruptcy follows a July 16 ruling in Van Leeuwen Ice Cream LLC v. Rebel Creamery LLC. U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee found Rebel liable for trade dress infringement under the federal Lanham Act, as well as infringement, unfair competition, and dilution claims under New York law.

A 2021 lawsuit

Van Leeuwen sued Rebel in 2021, alleging that its competitor had copied distinctive elements of its ice cream packaging. The dispute centered on features including monochromatic pastel-colored pints and lids, prominent black script lettering, and a minimalist overall design.

Following a bench trial, the court concluded that Rebel's packaging was likely to cause confusion with Van Leeuwen's trade dress and that the infringement was intentional. The judge permanently barred Rebel from selling products with packaging likely to be confused with Van Leeuwen's and ordered the company to redesign its packaging.

The financial consequence was substantial. Van Leeuwen was awarded $23.785 million of Rebel's profits from sales of the infringing ice cream pints.

Rebel has filed an appeal

Rebel has disputed allegations that it deliberately copied Van Leeuwen's design. The company appealed the judgment on Aug. 12, two days before filing for Chapter 11 protection, according to reports. The bankruptcy proceeding puts pending litigation against Rebel, including enforcement of the Van Leeuwen judgment, on hold while the company seeks to restructure.

The legal dispute dates to April 2021, when Van Leeuwen filed its complaint in the Eastern District of New York. Van Leeuwen argued that its packaging had developed a recognizable identity in the ice cream market and that Rebel's competing products adopted a confusingly similar appearance.

Rebel's bankruptcy does not necessarily mean the brand will disappear. Chapter 11 allows businesses to continue operating while reorganizing their finances, subject to bankruptcy court oversight. For Rebel, however, the filing comes as it faces not only the multimillion-dollar judgment but also the expense and operational challenge of changing packaging affected by the court's injunction.

Rebel products have achieved broad national distribution, including placement at Walmart, Target, and Kroger. The bankruptcy case will now determine how the company addresses its debts and other obligations while its appeal of the Van Leeuwen ruling proceeds.

The eggs have sickened 98 people in 17 states

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The FDA has upgraded the recall of more than 1.5 million dozen eggs to Class I, its highest-risk recall classification.

• The recalled eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis and were sold under brands including Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshires, Country Morning, and Sunups.

• The recall is linked to a multistate Salmonella outbreak involving 98 illnesses and 26 hospitalizations, according to the FDA; no deaths have been reported.

Consumers who still have eggs included in a massive July recall should not eat them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the recall as Class I, its most serious recall category.

The recall covers 1,589,577 dozen white shell eggs and brown cage-free shell eggs from Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. The eggs were produced at farms in Texas and distributed to retailers and foodservice customers in several states.

A Class I designation means there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the recalled product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The classification raises the urgency of a recall that was first announced July 22 over possible contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis.

Recall linked to salmonella outbreak

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked, in part, to the recalled eggs.

According to the FDA, 98 people in 17 states have become sick and 26 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Among patients interviewed about what they ate before becoming ill, 40 of 44 reported eating eggs.

The recalled eggs were produced and distributed from Texas farms between June 6 and July 3, 2026. They were sold at Kroger and Brookshire Grocery stores and other retailers in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

How to identify recalled eggs

Consumers should check cartons for:

• Plant code P-1950 or 0840962

• Julian dates 157 through 184

• Best By or Sell By dates ranging from July 20 through Aug. 17, 2026

Affected eggs were sold under several brand names, including Kroger, Simple Truth Cage Free, Brookshires, Country Morning, and Sunups.

What consumers should do

Consumers should not eat recalled eggs, even if the eggs look or smell normal. They should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

The FDA also recommends washing and sanitizing surfaces, containers, and other items that may have come into contact with the recalled eggs to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Salmonella infections can cause diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Infections can be particularly dangerous for young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Anyone who develops symptoms after eating recalled eggs should contact a healthcare provider.

Redfin reports the imbalance was strongest in the South

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The number of U.S. homebuyers fell to an estimated 1.36 million in July, the lowest level in Redfin records dating to 2013.

• Sellers outnumbered buyers by roughly 600,000, giving buyers more negotiating leverage although high costs continue to keep many would-be purchasers on the sidelines.

• Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Austin ranked among the strongest buyers markets, while only five of the 50 largest metropolitan areas favored sellers.

The number of Americans looking to buy a home fell to a record low in July, widening the gap between buyers and sellers, and strengthening the negotiating position of those who can still afford to make a purchase.

An estimated 1.36 million homebuyers were in the market during the month, down 1% from June and 8% from a year earlier, according to a Redfin analysis of records dating to 2013.

At the same time, the number of sellers stood at approximately 1.96 million. That left 600,314 more sellers than buyers a 44% difference and the second-largest imbalance in Redfins records. The gap was slightly narrower than the record 45% registered in December 2025 but substantially larger than the 30% difference recorded a year earlier.

Redfin classifies a housing market as favoring buyers when sellers outnumber buyers by more than 10%. By that measure, the national market has been a buyers market since May 2024.

A boost for buyers

The shift gives active buyers more homes to consider and potentially greater room to negotiate on prices, repairs, and other contract terms. But Redfin cautioned that the advantage applies only to people able to overcome persistent affordability barriers.

High home prices and mortgage rates have discouraged prospective buyers, while layoffs and broader economic and political uncertainty have added to their hesitation. Severe winter storms across much of the country may also have reduced activity in January.

Sellers have begun pulling back as well. Their number declined 1% from December the largest monthly fall since June 2023 and reached its lowest point since February 2025. The seller pool nevertheless remained 2% larger than it was a year earlier.

Some owners are removing properties after receiving little interest, while others are deciding not to list after watching nearby homes remain on the market or sell below their asking prices, Redfin said.

Regional variations

Market conditions vary considerably by region. Of the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas included in the analysis, 39 were buyers markets and six were considered balanced. Just five favored sellers.

Newark, New Jersey, was the strongest sellers market, with an estimated 31% fewer sellers than buyers. It was followed by Nassau County, New York, at 29% fewer; Milwaukee and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, each at 26% fewer; and New Brunswick, New Jersey, at 17% fewer.

The strongest buyers markets were concentrated in the South. Miami had 159% more sellers than buyers, followed by Fort Lauderdale at 128%, Austin at 124%, Nashville at 120%, and San Antonio at 114%.

Many Sun Belt markets experienced rapid population growth during the pandemic, prompting builders to increase construction. That additional supply is now meeting a smaller buyer pool after several years of rising housing costs. Florida also faces elevated insurance premiums, condominium association fees, and risks from natural disasters, factors that may be encouraging some homeowners to sell.

Price trends reflected the regional differences. Median sale prices rose an average of 5% from a year earlier across the five sellers markets, compared with 3% in balanced markets and just 1% in buyers markets.

The figures suggest the housing market is increasingly offering leverage to purchasers but largely because affordability pressures have reduced the number of people able or willing to participate.

These foods account for nearly 60% of the calories consumed by American adults

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Men who ate more ultra-processed food had a 24% to 31% higher reported risk of prostate cancer than those who ate the least, after researchers accounted for several demographic and health factors.

• The study found an association not proof that ultra-processed foods cause cancer and relied on self-reported diagnoses and two days of dietary recall.

• Consumers dont need to eliminate every packaged food, but replacing soft drinks, processed meats, and packaged snacks with minimally processed options may improve overall diet quality.

Men whose diets contained more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were more likely to report having prostate cancer, according to a new study that adds to concerns about Americans heavy reliance on industrially formulated products.

Researchers analyzed nationally representative federal survey data from 17,024 U.S. men ages 18 and older. Participants took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2023.

Using two 24-hour dietary recalls, researchers estimated how much of each participants energy intake came from ultra-processed foods. The men were divided into four groups, ranging from those who obtained less than roughly 20% of their calories from such foods to those who obtained more than 44%.

After adjusting for age, race and ethnicity, smoking, and poverty status, the researchers found higher prostate cancer risk among men consuming more ultra-processed food. Depending on how the groups were combined, the increased risk ranged from 24% to 31% compared with men in the lowest-intake group.

Men in the highest-intake group alone had an estimated 34% greater risk, although that result was not statistically significant. The researchers said the lack of statistical significance may have been due to the smaller number of prostate cancer cases in that group.

The study was published online in The American Journal of Medicine. Its abstract is available through PubMed.

What counts as ultra-processed food?

The researchers classified foods using the NOVA system, which sorts products according to the nature and extent of their processing.

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations typically containing refined fats, starches, sugars, salt, and additives used to enhance flavor, texture, color, or shelf life. Examples include:

• Soft drinks

• Packaged sweet or salty snacks

• Many sugary breakfast cereals

• Processed meats

• Some frozen meals and other ready-to-eat products

These foods account for nearly 60% of the calories consumed by American adults, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University.

Processing alone does not automatically make a food unhealthy. Frozen vegetables, canned beans, and pasteurized milk, for example, are processed but usually are not considered ultra-processed. Products in the ultra-processed category also vary widely in their nutritional content.

Important limits to the findings

The study cannot establish that ultra-processed food caused prostate cancer.

It used observational survey data rather than randomly assigning people to different diets. That means other differences between participants including weight, physical activity, healthcare access, screening history, and overall dietary patterns could partly explain the association.

Prostate cancer was self-reported, rather than confirmed through medical records. Diet was estimated from only two 24-hour recalls, which may not accurately represent a persons long-term eating habits. Because the analysis was not a prospective clinical trial, it also cannot firmly establish whether the reported dietary pattern preceded the cancer.

The researchers used 90% confidence intervals after pre-specifying a test for harm; medical research more commonly reports 95% intervals. The authors themselves said additional observational studies and randomized trials are needed to test the hypothesis.

What consumers can do

The findings do not mean an occasional packaged snack will cause cancer. They do support existing advice to build most meals around vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, nuts, and other minimally processed foods.

Practical substitutions could include choosing water instead of soda, oatmeal instead of a sugary cereal, fruit or nuts instead of packaged sweets, and beans, fish, or fresh poultry more often than processed meat.

Reducing consumption of UPFs is a complex public health challenge, study co-author Timothy De Ver Dye said, noting that affordability and access can make healthier choices difficult for many households.