Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Before I get to my topics for the day – heavy drug tariffs and a Kars4Kids scam – here are the still relatively stable prices for tomatoes and eggs that in spite of serious tariffs have not risen substantially. Because the tariffs apparently haven’t taken effect, after today I’m pausing my grocery price checks until they do.

• Big Y: Canadian tomatoes: $2.49/lb-$3.29/lb.  Dozen eggs: $4.89-$7.29
• Whole Foods: MexicanTomatoes: $3.69/lb. Dozen eggs: $4.99-$8.99
• Stop & Shop: Mexican Tomatoes: $1.88-$2.49. Dozen eggs: $4.89-$9.59.

Trump strikes again

As you’ve probably heard, President Trump last week announced the latest round of punishing tariffs. Beginning today he imposed a 100% tariff on branded pharmaceuticals, a 50% tariff on kitchen and bathroom cabinets, a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture, and a 25% tariff on semi trucks.

Consumers need to know what prescription drugs will suffer the consequences. To many consumers’ relief, almost all brand-name drugs purchased in the U.S. will not feel the tariffs.

Generic drugs – about 90% of Americans’ prescriptions – will face no tariffs. But, if your brand-name drug comes from the European Union, it may soon be subject to a 15% tariff. Many widely taken brand-name drugs are made in the EU.

If drugs are made in the United States – the No. 2 region for brand-name drug manufacturing – or if a country is in the process of setting up manufacturing facilities in the U.S,  they won’t be subject to the tariffs.

Drugs made in the following countries will probably take the 100% hit unless Trump relents: Switzerland, Britain, Singapore, India, China, Canada and Mexico. But they manufacture a small amount of American brand-name drugs.

How to tell? A drug’s label may state where it was manufactured. However, drug labels may merely state company corporate offices. Or they may reveal a country of origin without saying which stage of manufacturing occurred there. The label also won’t indicate where the raw materials were made.

In other words, good luck. Uncertainty and ambiguity reign, although you can use the following federal search tool to figure out where a drug comes from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/index.cfm.

Kars4Kids scam

Who hasn’t heard the annoying Kars4Kids radio jingle (”1-877Kars for Kids. K-A-R-S Kars for Kids … Donate your car today”). Now there’s a scam going around from the deceptively similar Kars-R-Us.com.

The Federal Trade Commission on Sept. 25 said Kars-R-Us collected vehicle donations on behalf of a supposed breast cancer charity and raked in millions of dollars soliciting donations through TV, radio, and online ads, in English and Spanish. It claimed proceeds would go to United Breast Cancer Foundation (UBCF) to “save lives” by offering free or low-cost breast cancer screenings, the FTC said. But of the $45.5 million Kars raised for UBCF, less than 1% paid for breast cancer screenings.

To discover whether a charity is legitimate and will support programs you want to to:

• Search the charity’s name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.” Search the charity’s website. Find out how much of your donation will go directly to support the programs you care about. If you can’t find detailed information about a charity’s mission and programs, walk away.
• Use the following organizations to research charities, offering reports and ratings about how charitable organizations spend donations and how they conduct business: BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Watch. The IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search indicates if your donation is tax deductible.
• If you’re looking to donate through a crowdfunding page, here‘s what to do: Find out who’s behind the crowdfunding request. If a friend posted, shared, or “liked” the request on social media, contact your friend separately before you donate to that request. Ask them what they know about the post. Do they know the person or group who’ll get the money?
• Pay by check or credit card. If a charity insists you pay by wiring money, with cryptocurrency, a payment app, or a gift card, that’s a scam.

Listeria alert: Ready-to-eat pasta

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat pre-cooked pasta that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

• Sold at Walmart: 12-oz. clear plastic tray packages labeled “MARKETSIDE LINGUINE WITH BEEF MEATBALLS & MARINARA SAUCE” with “best if used by” dates SEP 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, and OCT 01, 2025. The product bears establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
• Sold at Trader Joe’s: 16-oz. plastic tray packages labeled “TRADER JOE’S CAJUN STYLE BLACKENED CHICKEN BREAST FETTUCINE ALFREDO” with “best if used by” dates 9/20, 9/24, and 9/27. The product bears establishment number “P- 45288” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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