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Consumer Reports: Consumers Union
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The editorial focus of Consumer Reports is to provide information about different products to general consumers. It evaluates all products on an unchanging and thorough scale to provide a fair evaluation for individuals seeking to purchase. Consumer Reports evaluates a vast array of products ranging from automobiles to microwave ovens, from frozen dinners to insurance policies. Findings are presented in easy-to-read reports that employ the clear, ingenious system of colored dots ranking performance in specific areas. Along with reporting their findings, Consumer Reports offers advice on how to be a better shopper, whether it's how to read a car's price sticker or choose fresh fish.
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Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, supports raising automobile fuel efficiency standards in a manner that makes the auto industry minimize tradeoffs between higher miles-per-gallon and other consumer preferences. "With a meaningful increase in fuel efficiency, consumers can reduce their gasoline expenditures substantially," said Gene Kimmelman, CU's vice president for federal and international affairs. For a recent CU statement on this issue, visit http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_other_issues/004482.html.
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Most of the air cleaners tested and recommended by Consumer Reports would not be deemed acceptable to be used in hospitals and other critical environments due to the unrealiability of their technology and their poor long-term performance. The IQAir HealthPro Plus is used around the world in the most critical of air filtration applications. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority, after testing dozens of other room air cleaners, found the IQAir HealthPro Plus to be the only room air cleaner suitable to be used in the fight against SARS. Consumer Reports needs to recognize that consumers use room air cleaners for an equally important health environment -- their homes. Consumers deserve air cleaner evaluations at the same high standards used by hospitals and other critical environments. If Consumer Reports adopts higher testing standards, they will soon realize they have long recommended poorly designed room air cleaners.
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A Consumer Reports press statement on the problem of counterfeit items said consumers should be suspicious of third-party websites that offer deep discounts for products that are usually pricey. It said the easiest way to avoid counterfeits is to deal with reputable dealers authorized to sell a manufacturer's products. "EBay has been the target of lawsuits and threatened lawsuits from the likes of Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and Christian Dior, in part, for not doing enough to banish fakes," its press announcement stated.
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Consumer Reports annual reliability survey is used in determining which makes and models are recommended to consumers. Consumer Reports recommends only models that have performed well in tests conducted at its 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut, and that have average or better predicted reliability based on its annual survey. In addition, vehicles must perform well in government or insurance-industry crash and rollover tests, if tested, in order to be recommended.
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Consumer Reports publishes results of tests on products ranging from major purchases such as automobiles and appliances to everyday items, such as foods and cleaning supplies. Test reports include brand-name ratings and Consumers Union's recommendations. Goods and services covered include: appliances, automobiles, electronics, foods, health, home, personal, travel, and more.
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