Consumer Reports Celebrates 75 Years of Product Testing and Consumer Protection

Celebration Includes Public Event at Historic Grand Central Terminal with Interactive Exhibits, Expert Panel Discussion on Food Safety, and Hands-on Testing Demonstrations

Releases New Poll Showing 87% of Americans Highly Concerned About Distracted Driving

YONKERS, N.Y., Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Reports, the world's largest independent product-testing organization, is turning 75! The venerable, independent, nonprofit is celebrating its history of helping consumers make more informed purchasing decisions and advocating for a safer and more consumer-friendly marketplace.  

Consumer Reports' will celebrate with a free, two-day public event at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall on Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th. The event will include interactive, hands-on, testing exhibits, an expert panel discussion on food safety, and demonstrations

Building on its long tradition of giving voice to the consumer, today the organization also released a new national poll that shows that 87 percent of Americans are highly concerned about distracted driving (87%), and patient safety, including medical errors and hospital infections (69%). These are two issues that are at the forefront of Consumer Reports reporting and advocacy work. Full survey results are available at www.ConsumerReports.org.

"As we look forward to the next 75 years, our mission remains the same and as relevant as ever: to be a catalyst for marketplace change and to empower consumers to make smarter purchasing decisions so their hard earned dollars can stretch even farther," said Jim Guest, president and CEO of Consumer Reports.  "We'll reach consumers wherever and whenever they need us by leveraging new technologies such as shopping apps, and social media, and by being in the marketplace when they need us."

For more information about Consumer Reports and its history, including a full schedule of events, visit www.ConsumerReports.org/75.

GRAND CENTRAL EXHIBITS

The Consumer Reports 75th anniversary exhibit in Vanderbilt Hall was designed to reflect the impact Consumer Reports has had on the consumer marketplace over the last 75 years and through the more than 155,000 products tested. From 1953 when Consumer Reports published the first report on the ingredients in cigarettes and their potential health hazards, to 2010 when Consumer Reports' engineers confirmed there was an antenna problem with the iPhone 4, the organization continues to work towards its goal of changing the marketplace into one that offers consumers safe, affordable, high-quality products and services.

Vanderbilt Hall will be divided into five sections that, each representing a different testing division and at Consumer Reports and will offer interactive activities for event attendees. The five sections will include automotive, electronics, wellness, home and shopping. Visitors can learn how to test tires, see the all-electric Nissan Leaf in the automotive section, or interact with KEMAR, "The Head," used in Consumer Reports' audio labs.

EAT THEIR WORDS: PANEL DISCUSSION ON FOOD SAFETY JOURNALISM

In addition to visual displays, interactive stations, and videos from the Consumer Reports archives dating back to the 1930s, the celebration will also include a panel discussion about food safety journalism, entitled "Eat Their Words." The panel, taking place at noon on Friday, will discuss the media's role in shaping a safer food system. Panelists include Marion Nestle, New York University professor and author of Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety, William Neuman, New York Times food reporter, and Bill Marler, attorney for food safety cases and founder of FoodSafetyNews.com. Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., Director, Technical Policy and Safety, Consumer Reports will moderate.

CONSUMER REPORTS MARKETPLACE SUCCESSES

• Vehicle Safety. CR's engineers judged the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV a Don't Buy: Safety Risk in April 2010 after its rear slid out almost sideways during one of our standard emergency handling tests. The designation was lifted in May 2010 after recall work corrected the problem.
• Toy Safety. Consumers Reports' toy tests contributed to the 1969 passage of the Child Protection and Toy Safety Act. The organization was also instrumental in the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
• Safety Belts. CR's consistent emphasis to its readers in the 1950s and 1960s to buy and wear their seat belts potentially saved many of their lives.  
• Cigarettes. CR's coverage was used by the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health in drafting the committee's 1964 landmark report—warning of the dangers of cigarettes.

Consumer Reports is the world's largest independent product-testing organization. Using its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually.  Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has over 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website, and other publications.  Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.

The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves.  We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports®, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent commercial use of its materials, its name, or the name of Consumer Reports®.

SOURCE Consumer Reports