Consumer Resources on the Web
U.S. Federal Government Regulatory Agencies / Resources
The Access Board
The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for
people with disabilities.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
CPSC is an independent Federal regulatory agency that works to save lives and
keep families safe by reducing the risk of injuries and deaths associated with
consumer products.
Department of Agriculture
USDA’s activities include responsibility for the safety of meat, poultry, and
egg products, the National Organic Program, nutritional assistance, research
and policy, and educational programs regarding the environment, human health
and well-being.
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA works to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment —
air, water, and land — upon which life depends.
Federal Citizen Information Center
FCIC is the General Services Administration’s one-stop resource for answers to
questions about consumer problems and government services. FCIC publishes and
annually updates the Consumer
Action Handbook to help educate consumers about their rights
and responsibilities in the marketplace. This guide includes lists of state and
local consumer protection offices, corporate consumer contacts, national
consumer organizations, etc.
Federal Communications Commission
FCC is an independent agency charged with regulating interstate and
international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.
Federal Trade Commission
FTC enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws, seeks
to ensure that the nation's markets function competitively, and works to
eliminate unfair and deceptive practices.
Food and Drug Administration
FDA is responsible for the safety and labeling of food (except meat and
poultry), drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, radiation-emitting electronic
products, and veterinary products.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
NCIPC, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, works to reduce
morbidity, disability, mortality, and costs associated with injuries.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses
resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA’s site
SaferCar.gov provides consumers with information about
equipment and safety, crash test and rollover ratings, defects and recalls.
Recalls.gov
To better alert the public to unsafe, hazardous or defective products, six
federal agencies (Coast Guard, CSPC, EPA, FDA, NHTSA, USDA) have joined
together to provide a central resource of information on U.S. Government
recalls.
Standards.gov
Standards.gov offers background materials, useful links, and search tools for
locating information about the use of standards in government. Its primary
focus is on Federal agency use of standards for regulatory and procurement
purposes.
U.S. Based Consumer Organizations / Resources
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
AAFCS is a professional society whose purpose is to improve the quality and
standards of individual and family life through programs that educate,
influence public policy, disseminate information and publish research findings.
AARP
AARP is a nonprofit membership advocacy organization dedicated to addressing
the needs and interests of persons 50 and older.
American Council on Consumer Interests
ACCI is a membership organization of academics and other professionals involved
in consumer and family economics and dedicated to enhancing consumer
well-being.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition of public health, educational,
religious, labor, womens, environmental and consumer groups whose goal is to
protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the health and beauty
industry to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and
other health problems from everyday personal care products such as shampoo,
lotions, deodorant, sunscreen, toothpaste and make-up, and replace them with
safer alternatives.
Center for Democracy and Technology
CDT works to promote and enhance free expression, privacy, open access, and
other democratic values and constitutional liberties on the Internet.
Center for Food Safety
CFS is a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy membership
organization established in 1997 by its sister organization, International
Center for Technology Assessment, for the purpose of challenging harmful food
production technologies and promoting sustainable alternatives.
Center for Science in the Public Interest
CSPI is an advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and
sound science.
Consumer Federation of America
CFA is an advocacy organization working to advance pro-consumer policy on a
variety of issues before Congress, the White House, federal and state
regulatory agencies, and the courts.
Consumers’ Checkbook
Consumers' Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services is an independent,
nonprofit consumer organization that provides consumers information to help
them get high quality services and products at the best possible prices.
Consumers Union
Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is an independent,
nonprofit testing and information organization that provides consumers with
comprehensive and unbiased advice about products and services, personal
finance, health and nutrition, and other consumer concerns.
Council of Better Business Bureaus
The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the
Better Business Bureau (BBB) system, which was founded in 1912 and is today
supported by more than 300,000 local business members nationwide. It is
dedicated to fostering fair and honest relationships between businesses and
consumers, instilling consumer confidence and contributing to an ethical
business environment.
Electrical Safety Foundation International
ESFI is an organization devoted to electrical safety education and awareness.
Electronic Privacy Information Center
EPIC is a public interest research center that works to focus public attention
on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment,
and constitutional values.
Environmental Working Group
The mission of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is to use the power of
public information to protect public health and the environment. EWG works to
protect the most vulnerable segments of the human population—children, babies,
and infants in the womb—from health problems attributed to a wide array of
toxic contaminants. They also work to replace federal policies, including
government subsidies that damage the environment and natural resources, with
policies that invest in conservation and sustainable development
Identity Theft Resource Center
Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a nonprofit, nationally respected
organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of
identity theft. The ITRC provides victim and consumer support as well as public
education. The ITRC also advises governmental agencies, legislators, law
enforcement, and businesses about the evolving and growing problem of identity
theft.
International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization
ICPHSO is an organization dedicated to health and safety issues related to
consumer products manufactured and marketed in the global marketplace.
International Center for Technology Assessment
ICTA is a non-profit, bi-partisan organization committed to providing the
public with full assessments and analyses of technological impacts on society.
International NGO Network on ISO
INNI is a project of the Pacific Institute, a non-profit center that conducts
research and policy analysis in the areas of environment, sustainable
development, and international security. INNI provides network organizations
with information on ISO standards activity relating to environmental
management, climate change, water management and social responsibility, and
works to increase effective NGO participation in ISO.
Green America
Green America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982 (went
by the name "Co-op America" until January 1, 2009.) It’s mission is to harness
economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the
marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
GreenerChoices.org
GreenerChoices.org, launched on Earth Day 2005 by Consumers Union, the
non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, is a Web-based initiative to
inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally-friendly products
and practices.
Keeping Babies Safe
Keeping Babies Safe exists to provide education and leadership in keeping
babies safe from preventable injuries and deaths associated with unsafe cribs,
dangerous infant products and unsafe sleep environments.
Kids in Danger
KID is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children by improving
children’s product safety.
National Association of Consumer Advocates
NACA is a non-profit association of attorneys and consumer advocates committed
to representing customers’ interests.
National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators
NACAA is a non-profit association of state and local government consumer
protection agency administrators, and corporate consumer contacts, who work to
solve consumer problems, prosecute offenders, advance legislation, and educate
the public.
National Association of State Fire Marshals
NASFM represents State Fire Marshals who are responsible for fire safety code
adoption and enforcement, fire and arson investigation, fire incident data
reporting and analysis, and public education on fire protection.
National Consumer Law Center
The Center is an advocate for low-income and elderly Americans on consumer law
and public policy.
National Consumers League
NCL—the nation’s oldest consumer organization—is a private, nonprofit advocacy
group representing consumers on marketplace and workplace issues.
National Council on the Aging
NCOA is an association of organizations and professionals dedicated to
promoting the dignity, self-determination, well being, and contributions of
older persons.
Organic Consumers
Association
OCA is a grassroots non-profit public interest organization campaigning for
health, justice, and sustainability. OCA deals with issues of food safety,
industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, corporate accountability, and
environmental sustainability.
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) is a nonprofit consumer organization
whose mission is consumer information and consumer advocacy on privacy-related
issues.
Public Citizen
Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that
represents consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts.
Its Global Trade Watch
division covers issues relating to the World Trade Organization and other trade
agreements that seek to harmonize domestic regulations to international
standards.
Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose mission is to
prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under.
Safe Tables Our Priority
S.T.O.P.'s mission is to prevent unnecessary illness and loss of life from
pathogenic foodborne illness.
Saferparks
The Saferparks website was launched in 2000 to help consumers, industry, and
regulatory officials prevent amusement ride injuries by sharing safety
information and ideas.
U.S. Public Interest Research Group
U.S. PIRG acts as watchdog for the public interest in our nation's capital,
much as the state-based PIRGs work to safeguard the public interest in state
capitals.
World Institute on Disability
A nonprofit, public policy center dedicated to promoting independence and full
societal inclusion of people with disabilities.
World Privacy Forum
The World Privacy Forum is a nonprofit, non-partisan 501 (C) (3) public
interest research group. The organization is focused on conducting in-depth
research, analysis, and consumer education in the area of privacy.
Non-U.S. Based Consumer Organizations / Resources
ANEC - The European consumer voice in standardisation
ANEC represents consumers from all European Union and European Free Trade Area
countries in technical standardization.
Consumers International
CI is an independent, non-profit organization that supports, links and
represents consumer groups and agencies all over the world on such issues as
product and food standards, health and patients’ rights, the environment and
sustainable consumption, and the regulation of international trade and public
utilities. CI’s manual
First steps in Standards representation: a guide for consumer organisations
gives guidance on how organisations can participate in standards-setting,
primarily within ISO, IEC and their national members.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO)
A link to information about the role of standards and the consumer and ISO
COPOLCO which provides a forum for the exchange of information and experience
on standards and conformity assessment issues of interest to consumers. COPOLCO
has developed a distance learning module
Consumers and standards: partnership for a better world that
provides user-friendly information on how standardization benefits consumers
and how consumers can contribute to standards development. COPOLCO also has produced a brochure titled Involving Consumers: Why and how –
Practical guidance for standards development bodies which provides members of
ISO and IEC and other standards developers information on how to involve consumers in standardization.
International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance
The ISEAL Alliance is an association of international standard-setting,
certification and accreditation organizations that focus on social and
environmental issues.
Office of Consumer Affairs, Industry Canada
A link to this Canadian government agency’s publication entitled Participating
in the Standards System: A Handbook for Consumer Representatives.
TACD – TransAtlantic Consumers Dialogue
TACD is a forum of US and EU consumer organizations, which develops and agrees
on joint consumer policy recommendations to the US government and European
Union to promote the consumer interest in EU and US policymaking.
