To combat exploitative business practices, New York City has implemented sweeping new consumer protections aimed at eliminating hidden junk fees and subscription traps. These measures, championed by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, mandate transparent, all-in pricing for goods and services, ensuring consumers know the full cost upfront. Furthermore, a new “Click to Cancel” rule guarantees that subscriptions can be canceled as easily as they are initiated, empowering New Yorkers to stop paying for unwanted services. These initiatives represent a significant step in protecting consumers and promoting economic fairness across the city.
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The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states have reached settlement agreements with three major egg producers—Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch—to resolve allegations of illegally colluding to inflate egg prices between June 2022 and March 2025. The companies are accused of coordinating bids to Urner Barry Publications, an index crucial for determining wholesale egg prices, which allegedly resulted in higher costs for consumers. While none of the companies admitted wrongdoing, they will collectively pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofits to settle the claims. The proposed settlements, which require court approval, also mandate that the companies implement antitrust compliance programs and cease communications with competitors on pricing and bidding strategies, aiming to prevent future market manipulation.
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Effective July 1, California law will prohibit streaming platforms from broadcasting advertisements at a louder volume than the accompanying video content. This legislation, signed in October 2025, aims to align streaming services with existing regulations for broadcast, cable, and satellite providers, which are already subject to the CALM Act. While streaming platforms have not yet detailed their compliance strategies, it is anticipated that these volume adjustments may be applied nationwide, especially given similar legislation passed in Illinois set to take effect in July 2027.
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An EU reform of passenger rights, agreed on June 12, will prohibit airlines from charging extra fees for parents to sit next to their children under 14. While plans to reduce compensation for flight delays and cancellations were abandoned due to strong opposition from lawmakers, websites selling tickets will now be required to display prices inclusive of hand luggage. This updated regulation maintains the existing compensation system for passengers experiencing significant delays and also includes provisions against charging for minor booking corrections.
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Democrats are calling for companies to pass on tariff refunds directly to American families and small businesses. This demand stems from the belief that many companies have unfairly profited from tariffs, and that the money collected should be returned to those who ultimately bore the cost. The core of this argument is that when tariffs were imposed, the burden didn’t just disappear; it was often absorbed by consumers through higher prices, impacting everyday households and smaller enterprises.
The idea is that rather than companies holding onto these funds, they should be transparently returned. It’s suggested that the mechanism for collecting tariffs was sufficiently detailed, with separate codes for each payment, making it entirely feasible to trace and reverse the process for refunds.… Continue reading
A proposed class action lawsuit alleges JetBlue employs “surveillance pricing” by using customer personal data and third-party programs to dynamically set ticket prices. This practice, which allegedly involves “trackers” to adjust fares based on browsing history and other data, was brought to light after the airline suggested clearing browser cache and cookies to a customer experiencing a significant price hike. JetBlue denies using personal data or artificial intelligence for pricing, stating fares fluctuate based on demand and seat purchases. The lawsuit seeks damages for alleged violations of federal anti-wiretapping and New York consumer protection laws.
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The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that EU law permits member states to prohibit certain online gambling services offered from other EU countries. This decision stems from a case involving Malta-licensed companies providing services in Germany, where such online games were illegal. The court affirmed that while freedom to provide services applies to online gambling, it can be restricted for public interest reasons like consumer protection. Consequently, national courts can declare contracts violating these prohibitions void and order the repayment of lost stakes.
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New Democratic Party Leader Avi Lewis has called on the federal government to ban algorithmic pricing, a practice where retailers use AI and data to set different prices for consumers. Lewis described this “surveillance pricing” as “downright creepy” and a “rip-off,” alleging that Big Tech and retailers are collaborating to exploit Canadians. The NDP plans to introduce a parliamentary motion to prohibit this dynamic pricing, a move echoed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Canadians believe algorithmic pricing is unfair and should be banned or more strictly regulated, with concerns also raised by the Competition Bureau and consumer advocacy groups regarding its potential impact on pricing.
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As the retail landscape evolves, grocery stores are now implementing digital price tags, or DSLs, to replace traditional paper labels. This technology, adopted by retailers like Walmart and Kroger, promises increased efficiency by reducing the time spent on pricing and allowing for quick updates to reflect online prices or promotions. While proponents highlight benefits like freeing up staff to assist customers and ensuring accurate pricing, some lawmakers express concern that DSLs could enable surge pricing, leading to legislation aimed at preventing such practices and protecting consumers.
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Adobe has agreed to pay a substantial $75 million to resolve a lawsuit brought against them in the United States. This settlement addresses allegations that the company engaged in deceptive practices concerning its subscription fees and the cancellation of those subscriptions. The lawsuit, which has now been settled, centered on claims that Adobe made it unnecessarily difficult for consumers to end their subscriptions and failed to be upfront about the associated cancellation fees. This situation highlights a broader frustration many consumers feel with subscription-based services and the often opaque nature of their terms and conditions.
The core of the legal challenge revolved around Adobe’s subscription model and its cancellation policies.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood