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Small Bluetooth devices attached to some Target baskets are raising privacy concerns

• Some Target baskets have tracking technology: Small Bluetooth devices can help determine where baskets are located inside stores.

• The technology isn't new: Target has used Bluetooth-based location technology since at least 2015 to help shoppers navigate stores and find deals.

• You can limit personal tracking: Turning off location permissions for the Target app can prevent the retailer from linking your phone's location to its in-store services.

If you've noticed a small electronic device attached to a red Target shopping basket, you might be wondering what it's doing there.

A viral TikTok video posted in late August claimed Target was using the devices to track customers as they move through stores, potentially monitoring their shopping habits.

Turns out, there's some truth to that claim. According to a recent Snopes investigation, some Target baskets contain Bluetooth Low Energy beacons that transmit location signals.

But there's an important distinction between tracking where a shopping basket goes and tracking the person carrying it.

How Target's basket tracking works

The small devices communicate with technology installed in Target's overhead LED lighting system, which can work with the Target app to determine a shopper's location inside the store.

That information can help customers find specific products, navigate aisles, and receive location-based deals. For example, if you're looking for laundry detergent, the app may be able to guide you to the correct aisle rather than leaving you wandering around the store.

And while the technology might sound new, Target has been experimenting with Bluetooth beacons since at least 2015.

In fact, the retailer introduced Bluetooth-powered indoor mapping to its app back in 2017.

Is Target collecting information about your shopping habits?

This is where things get a little murkier for shoppers. The basket-mounted beacons themselves don't collect any of your personal information. What they do is transmit location signals that other devices and systems can use.

However, when you use Target's app with location permissions enabled, the retailer can potentially connect your location with information thats on your smartphone.

Snopes found that it remains unclear whether Target uses your information, like your movement around the store, for reasons beyond helping you find particular products and delivering specific offers based solely on your location in the store.

That distinction matters, especially for shoppers concerned about how retailers collect and use personal data.

How to limit tracking while shopping at Target

If you're uncomfortable sharing your location while shopping, there are a few simple steps you can take.

• Turn off location access for the Target app. On an iPhone, go to the following: Settings Privacy & Security Location Services Target. Then select Never to prevent the app from accessing your location.

• Check your Android permissions. Go to Settings Apps Target Permissions. The exact steps may vary by phone.

• Shop without the Target app. The simplest solution may be to just shop in Target stores without the app on your phone.

• Understand what you're opting out of. Disabling location access can prevent Target from associating your phone's location with its in-store services. However, the Bluetooth beacon on a shopping basket may continue transmitting its location.

At least three choking incidents have been reported

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• All varieties of Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars are being recalled because they may pose a serious choking hazard to young children.

• The FDA has received reports of toddlers experiencing complete airway obstruction after eating the snacks, with some incidents requiring emergency medical attention.

• The recall covers all flavors, package sizes, lot numbers, and expiration dates, including products sold nationwide through major retailers and online.

Once Upon a Farm is recalling all varieties of its Tractor Wheels Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars after federal regulators received reports that the popular children's snacks can form a dense, sticky mass when chewed, creating a potentially life-threatening choking hazard.

The Berkeley, California-based company announced the voluntary recall October 30, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the recall notice November 2.

According to the FDA's recall announcement, the products can rapidly absorb moisture from saliva during chewing, transforming into a dry, dense and sticky substance that may become lodged in a child's airway.

The danger appears especially serious for toddlers between 18 months and 2 years old.

In a separate consumer safety advisory, the FDA said it received reports of children experiencing complete airway obstruction, leaving them unable to breathe.

The agency warned that conventional choking interventions, including back blows and abdominal thrusts, may fail to dislodge the material. Some incidents required emergency medical intervention and hospital observation.

Which products are recalled?

The recall includes all three flavors of Tractor Wheels Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars:

• Strawberry, Pumpkin & Beet

• Apple, Sweet Potato & Spinach

• Banana, Pumpkin & Cauliflower

Affected products were sold in five-count and 10-count cartons, as well as 20-count and 30-count variety packs. Certain online baby and toddler snack sampler packs containing Tractor Wheels are also included.

The recall covers every lot code, including expired products that consumers may still have at home. Unexpired products have best-if-used-by dates ranging from October 30, 2026, through August 26, 2027.

The products were distributed nationwide, including Puerto Rico, through retail stores and online sellers.

According to the FDA, the snacks were sold at Costco, Target, and Walmart and may also have been available through Amazon and other third-party sellers.

Other Once Upon a Farm products are not included in the recall.

Three choking complaints prompted action

Once Upon a Farm said its decision to recall the products followed three consumer complaints reported to the FDA involving choking.

The company said no injuries had been reported as of its recall announcement. However, the FDA's separate advisory described incidents serious enough to require emergency response and hospital observation.

The company said it is working with federal regulators to remove the affected products from the marketplace and is reformulating Tractor Wheels to address the problem.

In its public statement, Once Upon a Farm acknowledged that the products had failed to meet parents' expectations for safety.

"We fell short of that, and that is why we are taking these aggressive actions," the company said.

What parents should do

The FDA is urging parents and caregivers not to purchase or serve any Tractor Wheels snacks, regardless of flavor or expiration date.

Consumers who have the recalled products should stop using them immediately and keep them away from children.

The FDA recommends throwing the products away. Consumers seeking a refund can return unopened packages to the place of purchase or contact Once Upon a Farm directly.

For refund assistance or additional information, consumers can contact the company at:

• Phone: 1-888-983-1606

• Email: care@uponafarm.com

Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Parents whose children experience choking or other symptoms after consuming the product should seek medical attention. If a child cannot breathe and attempts to clear the obstruction fail, call 911 immediately.

Why cinnamon has repeatedly been found to contain potentially dangerous amounts of lead

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• SLR Food Distribution Inc. has recalled Wise Wife brand ground cinnamon after testing revealed elevated levels of lead.

• The recalled cinnamon was distributed to grocery stores in 14 states, and consumers are urged to stop using it immediately.

• Cinnamon can become contaminated through polluted soil, environmental exposure during harvesting and processing, or the deliberate addition of lead-containing substances.

A New York food distributor is recalling ground cinnamon sold in 14 states after laboratory testing detected elevated levels of lead, adding to a growing list of cinnamon products flagged by federal food safety regulators.

SLR Food Distribution Inc., based in Hicksville, New York, announced the voluntary recall of Wise Wife brand ground cinnamon on October 29. The recall was posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to the company's announcement, the contamination was discovered after the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station collected and analyzed a sample of the product.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled cinnamon.

How to identify the recalled cinnamon

Wise Wife brand ground cinnamon

• Size: 110 grams (3.88 ounces)

• Packaging: Clear plastic container with a black screw-top cap

• UPC: 0688474302754

• Best before: April 25, 2027

The cinnamon was distributed between September 8, 2025, and June 28, 2026, to retailers in Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Consumers who purchased the affected product should discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Why does cinnamon keep showing up in lead recalls?

Cinnamon has become a recurring concern for food safety regulators, partly because of how the spice is grown, harvested and processed.

Unlike many spices made from seeds or leaves, cinnamon comes from the bark of trees. The bark is harvested, dried and often ground into a fine powder. There are several ways lead can enter the finished product.

Environmental contamination: Lead occurs naturally in the environment, but industrial pollution, contaminated soil and dust can increase its concentration. Cinnamon trees may absorb some lead from their growing environment, while harvested bark can also be exposed to contaminated dust.

Processing and handling: Cinnamon typically passes through several stages of drying, grinding, storage and transportation. Contaminated equipment, dust or other materials can introduce lead during these processes.

Deliberate adulteration: In some cases, lead-containing compounds may be added to spices to change their appearance or increase their weight. Federal investigators have previously examined evidence of economically motivated adulteration involving cinnamon products.

These risks do not mean all cinnamon is unsafe. They do, however, help explain why regulators have increased their scrutiny of the spice.

The FDA has issued multiple public health alerts involving ground cinnamon since 2024, identifying products containing elevated lead concentrations. In September 2026, the agency added another cinnamon product to its list of affected brands.

The agency has also urged cinnamon manufacturers, processors and distributors to strengthen controls designed to prevent chemical contamination.

Why lead exposure is especially dangerous for children

Lead is a toxic metal that can affect nearly every system in the body. There is no known safe level of lead exposure for children.

The danger is particularly significant for young children because their developing brains and nervous systems are more vulnerable to its effects.

Prolonged exposure can contribute to learning difficulties, developmental delays, behavioral problems and permanent neurological damage.

Adults can also experience health problems from lead exposure, including high blood pressure, kidney damage and neurological effects.

One of the challenges is that lead poisoning may not produce obvious symptoms, particularly when exposure occurs gradually over time.

The FDA says elevated blood lead levels may be the only indication that someone has been exposed.

The risk depends on the amount of lead consumed, how frequently contaminated food is eaten and the person's age and body weight.

What consumers should do

Consumers should check their spice cabinets for the recalled Wise Wife cinnamon, especially because the product has a long shelf life and may have been purchased months ago.

Anyone who has consumed the recalled cinnamon, particularly families with young children, should consider contacting a healthcare provider to discuss whether blood lead testing is appropriate.

Consumers should also avoid assuming that cinnamon is safe simply because it looks, smells or tastes normal. Lead contamination cannot reliably be detected through ordinary inspection.

The FDA continues to monitor cinnamon products and recommends that consumers check its public health alert for affected cinnamon brands.

For questions about the latest recall, consumers can contact SLR Food Distribution at 516-437-3782, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

The recall is another reminder that even commonly used pantry ingredients can pose unexpected health risks when contaminants enter the food supply.

Federal judge says consumers could reasonably expect the McRib to contain actual rib meat

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A federal judge has allowed a proposed class-action lawsuit against McDonald's to proceed, rejecting the company's argument that consumers should not expect its McRib sandwich to contain actual pork rib meat.

• Four consumers accuse McDonald's of misleading customers through the sandwich's name, rib-shaped patty and premium price, even though they allege it contains no rib meat.

• McDonald's denies wrongdoing, maintaining that the McRib contains 100% pork and that its marketing accurately describes the product.

McDonald's has suffered a legal setback in a lawsuit challenging one of its most recognizable menu items the McRib.

U.S. District Judge April Perry in Chicago ruled that key portions of a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the fast-food giant of deceptive advertising can move forward.

The lawsuit, filed in December 2025 by four consumers, alleges that McDonald's deliberately leads customers to believe the McRib contains pork rib meat when, according to the plaintiffs, the sandwich is actually made from less expensive cuts of pork.

McDonald's had asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that its marketing is truthful and that reasonable consumers would not necessarily assume the sandwich contains actual rib meat. But Perry disagreed that the issue could be settled at this early stage.

The judge wrote that the plaintiffs' interpretation of the McRib name was not unreasonable and that consumers should not have to conduct extensive research before purchasing a fast-food sandwich.

The ruling allows several fraud and consumer-deception claims to proceed, although the judge dismissed some other allegations.

What's actually in a McRib?

The McRib, introduced in 1981, consists of a boneless pork patty shaped to resemble a small rack of ribs, covered in barbecue sauce and served with onions and pickles on a bun.

The plaintiffs argue that the sandwich's distinctive shape and name create the impression that the meat comes from pork ribs, which generally command higher prices than some other pork cuts.

Their lawsuit alleges that the McRib instead contains lower-cost pork products, potentially including shoulder meat and organ meats. McDonald's strongly disputes parts of those allegations.

The company says the McRib is made from 100% seasoned boneless pork sourced from American farmers and suppliers. It specifically denies using pork hearts, tripe or stomach in the sandwich.

The distinction is important because the lawsuit is not claiming that McDonald's is selling something other than pork. Instead, it argues that consumers are being misled about which part of the pig the pork comes from.

McDonald's maintains that its ingredient descriptions have always been accurate.

Judge says consumers shouldn't have to investigate their lunch

In rejecting McDonald's request to dismiss the entire lawsuit, Perry focused on what an ordinary consumer might reasonably believe.

McDonald's argued that the sandwich's name is simply a brand name and that its website accurately identifies pork as the primary ingredient.

But the judge found that the combination of the name, rib-like appearance, advertising and relatively high price could plausibly lead consumers to expect actual rib meat.

The court also considered allegations involving consumer surveys. One survey cited by the plaintiffs found that 72% of respondents expected the sandwich to contain rib meat, while another found that 67% considered the presence of rib meat important to their purchasing decision.

Those findings have not been established as proof of deception, but they helped support the argument that the lawsuit should not be dismissed before further examination.

The ruling does not mean McDonald's has been found guilty of misleading consumers. It means the plaintiffs have presented a legally plausible case that deserves further consideration.

What happens next?

The case now moves toward further litigation, potentially including the exchange of company documents, marketing records and other evidence.

The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status, which could eventually allow other McRib purchasers to participate in the case.

They are also seeking financial damages and changes to marketing practices they contend are misleading.

However, no class has been certified, no settlement has been reached and consumers are not currently eligible for payments.

For McDonald's, the ruling comes at an awkward time. The company recently brought back the McRib for a limited run in selected U.S. markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas.

The case could also have implications beyond McDonald's. Food companies frequently use product names and advertising images that suggest particular ingredients or preparation methods.

If the plaintiffs ultimately prevail, the decision could encourage closer scrutiny of how restaurants describe their products, especially when those descriptions might lead consumers to expect more expensive ingredients.