The Consumers Union is an independent, non-profit organization that provides research and testing on products in order to provide consumers with honest facts about products on the market. The organization strives to help consumers be more diligent in protecting themselves.http://www.consumersunion.org/about/

They run test on products that include cars, toys, food, electronics, and many other things. They help to ensure the products that consumers are buying are of good quality and do not have any safety issues.The final results of the testing is then provided to consumers in order to help them decide which product is the best before they make a purchase.

The Consumers Union is involved in several consumer campaigns. These campaigns include the Safe Patient Project, Defend your Dollars, Health Reform, Not in my Food, Not in my Cart, Credit Card Reform, and several others. They also encourage their readers to take action by contacting their state and federal government officials, donating money, and sharing their stories with others through word of mouth or speaking out to the media.http://www.consumersunion.org

• 1936-Consumers Union was founded.

• 1936-The first Consumers Union Reports were released.

• 1942-The magazine name is changed to Consumer Reports.

• 1946-Circulation reaches 100,000.

• 1960-The Consumers Unions helps found International Organization of Consumers Unions.

• 1987-Consumer Reports becomes available online.

• 1992-Circulation reaches 5 million.

• 2001-President for 27 years, Rhoda H. Karpatkin steps down and is replaced by James A. Guest.

• J.D. Power and Associates, Inc.

• Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

• Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

• Consumer Reports Magazine

• <p>ConsumerReportsHealth.org

• <p>ConsumerRerports.org

• Product Testing

The Consumers Union was founded in 1936 by Arthur Kallet and Colston Warne. In may of 1936, the first Consumers Union Reports is released. It contains information on breakfast cereal, Grade A and Grade B milk, soap, and stockings. The products were rated either Best Buy, Also Acceptable, or Not Acceptable. The ratings were based on laboratory research done by the Consumers Union.http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/aboutus/history/printable/index.htm