consumer-affairs

Daily deal Internet sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial are popular with consumers, but the extent of benefits for participating merchants — who agree to significant price cuts and experience subsequent social media reviews — remains a subject of debate.

Firms pay to compete for the top slot within search engines such as Google. The first result for a search for “toys,” for example, will show a paid placement followed by organic search results generated by an algorithm. How search results influence buying and price-shopping habits within the online ecosystem — and what ultimate benefit it has for businesses — is a matter of ongoing economic and marketing research.

Massachusetts’ statewide healthcare reform, implemented in 2008, served as a model for the national Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Both the state and federal legislation mandated coverage for the previously uninsured and, among other goals, sought to reduce the risk of personal medical bankruptcy.

Cell phone ownership rates in the United States grew from 82% in 2007 to 88% in 2012, according to a Pew Internet and American Life Project survey. As access to free or low-cost networks continues to grow, to what extent are these mobile devices being used to access the Internet?

The United States has one of the highest obesity rates in the world, and the primary causes — unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise — are well known. However, the social, economic, psychological and policy factors underlying the problem are less clear.

Scientific studies have suggested that two chemicals used in food packaging, Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), can disrupt human endocrine systems and cause birth defects, autism and hyperactivity. While the adverse effects of BPA have been studied, the contribution of dietary exposure to total intake has not been fully investigated.

With obesity on the rise across America, particularly among lower-income individuals, it has been suggested that part of the problem may be lack of access to healthy foods. Many low-income housing areas are inundated with fast food restaurants and often lack a regular supermarket that offers fresh fruits and vegetables. The term “food deserts” is increasingly used to characterize such areas, but it is not clear if this oversimplifies the problem of obesity for certain communities.

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years, and its causes appear to be a complex mix of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Many assume that the consumption patterns and marketing relating to sugary drinks —  a well-known target in recent years for those campaigning to end childhood obesity — might have changed because of sustained scrutiny.