Current Events in February 2025

Buyers of Robitussin can now apply to get money from a class-action lawsuit that began in 2022 over the cough medicine being marketed as "non-drowsy."

Consumers can get $1.50 to $4.75 per claim and need to have bought Robitussin marketed as "non-drowsy" between Feb. 16, 2016 and Jan. 21, 2025 to qualify, Top Class Actions reports.

Buyers can make up to three claims with proof of purchase, but only one claim without proof of purchase.

The deadline is April 14 and claims can be made through nondrowsyrobitussinsettlement.com.

The lawsuit alleged that Haleon, the makers of Robitussin, marketed the medicine as "non-drowsy" despite it containing dextromethorphan, a ingredient that can cause drowsiness.

Haleon didn't admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle the lawsuit.

Here's a list of the products covered under the lawsuit:

• Robitussin 12 Hour Cough Relief Extended-Release Orange Syrups
• Robitussin Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength Syrups
• Robitussin Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength/Nighttime Cough DM Maximum Strength Day & Night Value Pack Syrups
• Robitussin Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength Liquid-Filled Capsules
• Robitussin Cough + Chest Congestion DM Syrups
• Children’s Robitussin Cough & Chest Congestion DM Syrups
• Children’s Robitussin Cough & Chest Congestion DM/Nighttime Cough Long-Acting DM Day & Night Value Pack Syrups
• Robitussin Sugar-Free Cough + Chest Congestion DM Syrups
• Robitussin Honey Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength Syrups
• Robitussin Honey Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength/Nighttime Cough DM Maximum Strength Day & Night Value Pack Syrups
• Robitussin Elderberry Cough + Chest Congestion DM Maximum Strength Syrups
• Children’s Robitussin Elderberry Cough & Chest Congestion DM Syrups
• Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu CF Maximum Strength Syrups
• Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu CF Maximum Strength/Nighttime Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu CF Maximum Strength Day & Night Value Pack Syrups
• Robitussin Severe Cough + Sore Throat CF Maximum Strength Syrups
• Robitussin Honey Severe Cough Flu + Sore Throat CF Maximum Strength Syrups
• Robitussin Honey Severe Cough Flu + Sore Throat CF Maximum Strength/Nighttime Severe Cough Flu + Sore Throat CF Maximum Strength Day & Night Value Pack Syrups
• Robitussin Multi-Symptom Cold CF Syrups
• Children’s Robitussin Cough & Cold CF Syrups
• Robitussin Long-Acting Cough Gels Robitussin 12 Hour Cough Relief Extended-Release Grape Syrups

A month after declaring bankruptcy, crafts retailer JoAnn reports it has not been able to find a buyer and will go out of business, closing all 800 stores. The end came quickly.

“The company is seeking court approval to begin a process for the sale of substantially all of its assets under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, pursuant to which Gordon Brothers Retail Partners would serve as the stalking horse bidder,” the company said in a statement on its website on January 15.

A stalking horse bidder is one that would set the floor for bids for the company’s assets. The winning bid would have to equal or be higher than that. In the end, there were no takers, at least none that would continue to operate the business.

JoAnn announced plans to sell off its assets to a buyer group which would likely liquidate everything in order to pay down debt. The company will go to bankruptcy court in Delaware this week to seek approval to move forward.

The chain that would become Joann Fabrics was founded in 1943, with a single store in Cleveland. The name was changed to Joann Fabrics in 1963. The company operates 800 stores in 49 states.

BMW of North America is recalling 40,736 2022-2024 X3 sDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i vehicles. The second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion. Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.

As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

What to do

Dealers will replace the second-row seat side door locking modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 14, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to nhtsa.gov.

To determine if your vehicle is included in this recall, check the NHTSA recall page.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is winding down its operations under the Trump Administration, and last week dismissed the first of 38 pending cases that are all expected to be thrown out.

The case involved Solo Funds, Inc., an online provider that lent money in small amounts. The complaint filed by the CFPB under its previous management accused Solo of misrepresenting the true cost of is product.

But what the Biden-era CFPB called misrepresentation, the Trump Administration's Russ Vought calls "innovation."

Vought, the architect of the 2025 Playbook, said CFPB was "wrong" to file the action against Colo. 

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) criticized the dismissal.

“Solo Funds lied to its customers, plain and simple, and California, Connecticut and Washington D.C., have all also pursued Solo for its clearly fraudulent scheme," saidErin Witte, CFA’s Director of Consumer Protection. 

“The 2008 financial crisis was caused by lenders touting ‘innovative’ financial products, and our country is headed for another economic meltdown if we continue to cripple the CFPB,” Witte said. 

Vought has signaled that he intends to walk away from all 38 pending enforcement actions. The agency's headquarters has been shuttered for weeks and most of its employees fired.

After the 2008 financial crisis, Congress gave the explicit directives to establish offices and programming dedicated to protecting vulnerable consumers, issue regulations to govern particular industries, and ensure transparent access to information about consumer financial products.

Since opening its doors, the CFPB has directly obtained over $21 billion in relief for over 205 million people from companies that illegally cheated consumers.