Current Events in March 2024

In a lawsuit that could knock drugs like Symbicort and Farxiga off their high priced perch, a federal court in Delaware has sent AstraZeneca's lawyers home with a rejection slip after the drugmaker challenged the Medicare drug price negotiation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. 

AstraZeneca’s pitch to the court was that the provisions in that Act were contrary to its right to due process and that it had a rightful entitlement to sell its drugs to the government at prices other than those the government is willing to pay. 

The decision follows a ruling earlier this month in U.S. District Court that threw out a lawsuit against the Biden administration, filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and its allies that also tried to prevent Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices. 

Could this stop drugmakers from gouging consumers on prices?

New legislation allows Medicare to haggle over prices of expensive medications starting in 2026. Medicare’s game plan has been to focus on drugs with no generic competition and pick the most expensive ones first. 

AstraZeneca has its share of those types of medications. For example, GoodRx says that the AZ-branded version of Farxiga lists at $681.20 per 30-day, 10mg supply. Symbicort – AZ’s inhaler used for asthma and COPD rounds – lists for $515.

But, the one that costs consumers the most is the cancer drug, Tagrisso. The National Library of Medicine lists the price of that drug at $294.68 per 80 mg tablet, meaning that the annual cost of therapy would be $107,557 if patients remained on therapy for a full year.

Based on 2023 sales figures, those three AstraZeneca drugs – the company’s biggest sellers – bring in $11.6 billion in sales.

If grocery shoppers avoided just a few items last month, they likely saved money. But if they stocked up on white rice, peanut butter and frosted donuts, they paid a lot more.

The February ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index rose from $157.65 in January to $161.19 in February, an increase of 0.02%. Three items accounted for most of the rise.

The price of peanut butter surged 33%, frosted donuts cost 20% more while white rice prices rose 17.3%. Datasembly collects retail grocery price data in real time.

But prices of other grocery items have begun to fall. Shoppers paid less for whole bean coffee, salted butter, potato chips and bacon.

The FebruaryShopping Cart Index

Tax season is in full swing. With just about a month until the official tax filing deadline on April 15, if you don’t have a plan to file your taxes, you may want to consider the IRS’ latest digital initiative – Direct File. 

Over the last few weeks, the IRS has piloted Direct File, and it’s now available for eligible taxpayers to use – for free – in 12 states. 

“A team of experts from across the government built and tested the Direct File pilot to give taxpayers an easy, accurate, free way to file their taxes online directly with the IRS,” said IRS commissioner Danny Werfel.

“Our goal with the Direct File pilot is to help people meet their tax obligations as easily and quickly as possible. We developed Direct File from the beginning with taxpayers’ help, and we’ll continue to talk to taxpayers about their experience to learn more about what taxpayers want for future digital services.”

What to know about Direct File

The Direct File system is a step-by-step guide for taxpayers to accurately file their taxes online. There’s no rush to get through the entire return in one sitting – users can save their progress and return to it at any time. 

Direct File also has a chat feature, so taxpayers can talk directly with tax professionals if they have any questions throughout the process. 

“Many taxpayers we’ve heard from filed their taxes in less than 30 minutes using Direct File and praised it as an easy, no cost tax filing experience,” Werfel said. 

To be eligible to use Direct File, taxpayers must fall into these categories: 

• Report income earned from jobs that generate a W2

• Claim Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Credit for Other Dependents

• Claim the standard deduction and deductions for educator expenses and student loan interest

• Lived in the same state for the entire calendar year of 2023

Additionally, Direct File is currently only available in 12 states, including: Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State, and Wyoming. 

Direct File will guide taxpayers through their federal returns. Then, for states that have income tax, taxpayers will be led to a state-sponsored income tax tool. 

Direct File is available to access on computers, tablets, or smartphones, and taxpayers can file in English or Spanish. First-time users will have to verify their identity through ID.me, ensuring a safe and secure tax filing process. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 18,616 of the following vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system:

• Model year 2023 Mirai’s, Lexus LS500s, LS500Hs,
• Model year 2023-2024 Lexus ES250s, ES300Hs, ES350s, and
• Model year 2024 Lexus LC500s and LC500H.

Due to incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic control unit (ECU) software, the rearview camera image may not display within a couple of seconds after the shifter is placed into reverse.

A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's rearview, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the parking assist ECU software free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by April 7, 2024.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TA01 and 24LA01.

If you’d like to see a cereal company CEO covered in his own Cocoa Krispies, look no further than Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick. He is facing backlash for suggesting that cash-strapped consumers should eat cereal at dinner to save money. 

In an interview on CNBC, Pilnick defended his position, explaining that Kelloggs’ data shows that more than 25% of cereal consumption occurs outside of normal breakfast hours and that, according to his calculations, a bowl of cereal, with fruit and milk, costs under a dollar. 

Granted, that may make sense numerically, but nutritionally, Pilnick has found himself becoming somewhat of a punching bag for being tone-deaf and not considering the nutritional adequacy of cereal as a dinner substitute. Either wholly by itself or as a side dish alongside eggs, avocados, potatoes, fish, and green leafy vegetables. 

'$8 for a box of cereal and you think you’re doing us a favor?'

Pilnick probably thought his elixir for cash-strapped consumers made sense when he rolled it out on national TV, but he ran into a buzzsaw on social media. That’s where activists established the #LetThemEatCereal campaign, calling for a boycott to pressure Kellogg's and their peers to lower prices and address price gouging. 

True, social media influencers aren’t economists, but they do have the power to well, influence. And millions of X’ers (Twitter) and TikTok’ers have clicked on related posts to see what the protest is all about. If they bought into the movement, that could put a huge dent in the sales of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, and Corn Pops.

While the price of cereal has climbed on the same trajectory that all groceries have, Kellogg’s may want to think what hand it’s playing in that, too. The company claims that its last “substantial” price increase was March 2023. However, reports indicate that the company raised prices 14.7% in the second quarter of last year, and  by 17.1% again in October – giving the company the championship belt for the highest increase among cereal brands.

But, Pilnick may have gotten the message about prices. During the company's most recent earnings call, he said, "We are still working our way through that," suggesting that Kellogg’s is feeling the repercussions of the 2023 price bumps.

No, let them eat oats instead, says one nutritionist

Cereal seems like a quick and budget-friendly dinner option, but it falls short on nutrition and doesn’t offer much balance, and it’s far from an ideal option, claims nutritionist Jabe Brown, founder of Melbourne Functional Medicine.

“If money is an issue, then opting for a bowl of oats for dinner can be a more balanced and nutritious choice compared to traditional cereals, while offering a better nutritional baseline. Oats are not only very cheap but also versatile, allowing for numerous healthy additions that can enhance the meal's nutritional value and taste,” Brown told ConsumerAffairs.

“For instance, incorporating affordable fruits like frozen berries, apples or bananas can add natural sweetness, along with a variety of antioxidants. Nuts and seeds can introduce healthy fats and additional protein, making the meal more satiating and supportive of nighttime recovery processes”

Brown points out that a major advantage of oats is its higher fiber content  which can help regulate blood sugar levels and provide a steady source of energy.

“So if the kids can get on board, opting for oats plua fruits plus nuts instead of cereal will always be a better choice in regard to nutritional value and price,” he said.

“I think sometimes convenience beats rationality. A bowl of cereal once a week is not an issue. Just try choosing options that are high in fiber, low in added sugars, and made with whole grains.”

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 105,071 model year 2020-2023 GLE 450s and GLS 450s.

The transmission may not downshift fully in certain conditions, causing the engine to stall, posing a crash risk

What to do

Dealers will update the transmission control unit software free of charge.

Letters notifying owners of this recall are expected to be mailed April 16, 2024.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

Here comes Peter Cotton Sale! Retailers across the country have been a little light on major deals lately, but the combination of Easter and Spring is too hard to miss.

And it seems like everyone’s in, too: Amazon and Walmart on the everything-for-everybody front, and Aldi for grocery shoppers.

Here’s a starter list that you may find enticing enough to search for what else these retailers have.

Amazon

Amazon is expected to have a Spring Sale again this year. It hasn’t announced what the exact dates are, but last year was March 27th to 29th and the focus was on tech, home, and beauty so those guesses are probably worth betting on. 

Department by department, Cosmopolitan says it expects deals like these:

Beauty: Braun IPL Silk-Expert Pro 3 for hair removal (46% off), Oral-B iO8 Electric Toothbrush (62% off), Shark SmoothStyle Heated Brush (15% off).

Tech: JBL Tour One M2 Wireless Headphones (price not discounted), RIENOK Bluetooth Speaker (27% off), Bextoo Power Bank (17% off).

Home: COSORI Air Fryer (39% off), Philips Domestic Appliances L'OR Barista Sublime Coffee Capsule Machine (43% off), CitySports Under Desk Treadmill (15% off).

But, Men’sHealth’s retail watchers say that it’s Amazon Warehouse where you’ll find the best-kept secrets.

“What you might not know about it, though, is that the online retailer has a host of deals on pre-used products, hidden ever so neatly in the Amazon Warehouse section,” Ellen McAlpine, commerce editor at Heast, said.

"We found savings up to 57% off in the if-you-know-you-know shopping tab, and we're breaking down everything you should know as you start perusing.”

Hey, this might be a good time to beat the rush on Father’s Day.

Amazon’s not backing away from Easter, though. It’s marked down lots of Easter toys like the Baby Gund Flora Bunny, price-slashed from $45 to $32; the Squishmallows 10" Patty The Cow is going for $20, down from $27; and the LEGO Creator 3-in-1 White Rabbit Animal Toy Building Set is now available for $16, marked down from $20.

Aldi

Aldi is rolling Easter specials out week by week. Here's a list of all the Easter-themed products mentioned in this article, along with their prices at Aldi:

Available on March 13th:

• Southern Grove Trail Mix (Honey Bunny or Spring Time flavor) - $3.99

• Huntington Home Character Rope Easter Baskets (yellow chick, blue bunny, white bunny) - $4.99 each

• 8-Inch Easter Squishmallow (various characters) - $7.99 each

• Clancy's Kettle Corn (carrot cake or vanilla flavor) - $2.29

• Huntington Home Tray Objects (spring-themed signs, figurines, etc.) - $4.99 each

• Bake Shop Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies (12-pack) - $4.79

• Benton's Easter Cookies - $2.99

• Huntington Home Fabric Garland (various Easter themes) - $4.99

Available on March 20th:

• Emporium Selection Easter Truckle Assortment (aged cheddar, lemon honey, raspberry white chocolate cheese) - $3.99

• Reggano Easter Shaped Pasta - $2.49

Available on March 27th:

• Tulips, Lilies, or Hyacinths - $4.89

• 6-Inch Azalea or Hydrangea - $8.49 each

Walmart

You probably already know that you can get your Easter meal fixins’ for a lot less this year than last at Walmart.

But the retailer is also going after parents looking to build Easter baskets and offering an Easter basket full of goodies for less than $20. Aside from the curated Easter basket, Walmart has seasonal must-haves, such as inflatable Easter bunnies to decorate the front yard, Peeps plushies and Easter flocked bunnies.

In addition to Easter kinds of stuff, Walmart has spring savings and deals across a wide range of other products. For example, in the household and electronics sections, there are discounts from brands like Dyson, Samsung, Apple, and Nintendo for things such as vacuums, air purifiers, kitchen essentials, and tech gadgets.

If Springtime is sprucing-up time, Walmart is also cutting deals for stylish home décor at affordable prices, perfect for giving your space a refresh for spring.

Clothing deals are also part of Walmart's spring bargains, with lower-than-usual prices on Crocs, Reebok, Packable Puffer Jackets for men, and Athletic Works Color Block for boys, among other items.

Don’t miss the new rage: Giant chocolate bunnies and eggs

It’s not 1964, nor is it The Beatles, but a British invasion is going on that you might want to get hip to. It’s giant-sized Easter eggs and bunnies.

Giant eggs grew 59% (in sales, not size) in the UK, last year, and American chocolatiers and candy sellers are just starting to jump on the bandwagon. 

It’s not to the point where you’re going to find them everywhere, but the impact they can make as a gift might be worth the scramble.

Here are some options for finding giant chocolate Easter eggs or bunnies in the U.S.:

Several online retailers like Amazon offer large chocolate Easter eggs from various brands including Lindt and Toblerone.

Small, artisanal chocolate shops are a good option because they can make giant Easter eggs to order. And some gourmet chocolate companies do up giant Easter eggs as a special occasion treat. Li-Lac Chocolates, based in Brooklyn, New York, makes giant milk or dark chocolate Easter eggs that are 24" tall and weigh 16 lbs.

Just keep in mind that because of the specialty of the item, it may require advance notice and shipping costs can be high for these large and heavy items.

Bought any eggs lately? If you haven’t, take along a couple of extra bucks the next time you go to the grocery store because it’s going to set you back more than you’re used to paying.

Eggs aren’t at the same uncomfortable peak they were a year ago, but they have been surging in the wrong direction since November.

Datasembly tipped off ConsumerAffairs that the price of eggs has zoomed higher by a significant percentage in certain parts of the country – the largest being Minneapolis and Buffalo/Rochester. Orlando's egg prices went up as well.

Datasembly researchers said that the change in egg prices was quite different based on different population density segments. The increase was most significant in Large Central Metro areas but in non-core rural areas, there was a fairly noticeable decrease. Sacramento also surprisingly saw a decrease in egg prices as did Las Vegas.

What’s causing this?

You can try and pin this on grocer greed, but that’s a wasted accusation. The higher prices of eggs in the U.S. are actually due to several factors. There has been a significant reduction in the supply of eggs as a result of the avian influenza outbreak, which has resulted in the euthanasia of millions of chickens and ducks.

The American Egg Board – the organization behind the “Incredible Edible Egg” – says farms are recovering quickly and producing eggs again, then added this to their stance:

“Affordable food matters to everyone. And although egg farmers usually can’t set the price of eggs, they are doing everything they can to keep costs down and to make sure eggs are plentiful, which should help ease prices," the Board wrote.

"Several things are temporarily affecting the price of eggs right now that are beyond a farmer’s control. Inflation is impacting the price of many foods, including eggs. In addition, things egg farmers need to run their farms and get eggs to the store, like fuel and chicken feed, all cost more right now.”

For the last few months, Walmart shoppers have been able to place orders for delivery through 10:00 p.m. 

Now, the retailer is once again expanding same-day delivery services, but this time, for the morning hours. Starting in mid-March, shoppers can set-up orders to be delivered to their doorsteps starting at 6 a.m. Prior to this announcement, 8 a.m. was the earliest orders were delivered. 

“Starting at 6 a.m., earlier than ever before, customers can enjoy the convenience of on-demand delivery,” the company wrote in a statement. “This expanded timing offers them peace of mind knowing they can get things they need at their doorstep to kickstart the day.” 

Fast, early morning deliveries

Whether it’s a last minute grocery order, school supplies that you forgot to pick up, or diapers, Walmart’s early morning deliveries can be on your doorstep within 30 minutes. Baby essentials, work attire, home appliances, and outdoor supplies are all part of the possibilitiesw. 

This new delivery feature is for consumers who can’t miss their early morning meeting, need supplies before a road trip, need to prep breakfast, or just want their orders as soon as possible. 

How it works

Shoppers will be able to start placing orders for early morning deliveries in mid-March. 

To take advantage of early morning deliveries, shoppers can either go to Walmart’s website or mobile app and start creating an order the way they normally would. From there, there are two express delivery options: delivery within an hour or delivery within three hours. 

For one-hour delivery, there is a $10 delivery fee, while the three-hour delivery window comes with a $5 delivery fee. However, for those with a Walmart+ membership, there is no delivery fee. 

“As we continue to innovate and accelerate, the message is clear: shopping should be personal and as tailored to fit your lifestyle as those freshly-delivered work shirts,” Walmart said.

“With Walmart’s On-Demand Early Morning Delivery and a suite of other convenient options, we’re making sure you have what you need, when you need it, so you can reclaim your time no matter what the clock says.” 

If you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the food and beverages associated with it will cost a little more this year than in 2023.

Datasembly, which tracks grocery prices in real-time, found that celebration essentials cost $98.38 last year but $99.47 this year, an increase of only 1.11%. Some items cost a little more, some a little less.

Extra stout beer has gone up the most. The price of russet potatoes has gone down he most.

Before you do your shopping, check out these price moves:

General Motors is recalling 55,755 model year 2023 Chevrolet Colorados and GMC Canyons.

The front camera module (FCM) system may falsely detect an obstacle, causing the automatic emergency braking (AEB) to engage unexpectedly.

Unexpected automatic emergency braking can cause the vehicle to abruptly stop or slow down, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the front camera module (FCM) software free of charge.

Owners should received notification letters are starting around April 8, 2024.

Owners may contact GMC customer service at (800) 462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A232424660.

Think it’s safe to stay inside? Think again. In addition to the Top 10 most dangerous things in your house, new research has surfaced during Consumer Protection Week that may make you want to strap yourself onto your sofa and not move an inch.

A new analysis by the U.S. PIRG Education fund – Safe At Home in 2024 – shows the agency responsible for product recalls, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), enhanced its enforcement in 2023.

The agency was dogged about product recalls, issuing three times more public warnings when companies decided they wouldn't cooperate with a recall than in the year before. 

U.S. product recalls in 2023 were the highest in seven years, with 323 announcements about defective appliances, furniture, bike helmets, toys and other everyday products. The two largest civil penalties charged to companies who failed to report known hazards were Peloton Interactive Inc. and HSN Inc., formerly Home Shopping Network.

What’s worse were the injuries

The products involved in those recalls were tied to more than 550 injuries, 15 deaths, and more than 500 fires – before the recalls. Actually, the fatality count would be higher if it included the two re-announcements for infant rocker sleepers, which have been linked to about 115 deaths. 

“It’s clear that dangerous products truly threaten all of us, our children and our homes,” said Teresa Murray, U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s consumer watchdog director and author of the report.

“The injuries and deaths that occur are tragic and difficult to read about. We’re often not safe at home, and we don’t even know it.”

When you buy something, some simple steps can protect you from being a statistic

There are more recalls than you can imagine. In ConsumerAffairs daily digest of recalls, there are vehicles, toys, tech gear, appliances, etc. Subscribing to that list is a good start.

But, US PIRG suggests that you periodically take a look around your house – in the kitchen, laundry room, bedroom, and the medicine cabinet – and search for those at saferproducts.gov, recalls.gov, or cpsc.gov/recalls.

“Fill out online or mail-in registrations that come with products, especially anything that plugs in, has a battery or is used by children,” Murray said.

“If you’re concerned they’ll share your information, then at least provide a secondary email address. That way, companies can contact you in case of safety warnings.”

But, be careful with resale and foreign websites

Resale websites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are great places to find used articles at great prices, but even though it’s illegal for a business to sell recalled products, most, if not all of those sites lack the time or personnel to go through every single listing to find out if it’s been recalled or not. Therefore, you could be buying a pig in a poke.

“Use even more caution when buying products being shipped from overseas or from websites that seem unprofessional,” Murray said.

“International sellers may not comply with U.S. safety standards, and unethical sellers may peddle all sorts of previously recalled or unsafe merchandise.”

Safe At Home offers more tips for consumers to protect themselves from dangerous products before they shop and if something they own gets recalled.