
The Progressive Era strengthened consumer protections regarding product safety through both the creation of new laws and the establishment of the Federal Trade Commission. Pivotal Supreme Court decisions during this era established safeguards against predatory and misleading practices by promoting market competition and dismantling monopolies.
This landmark consumer safety law gives Americans the right to know what they are eating and the contents of their medicines. Previously, companies could sell food and "patent medicines" with dangerous substances without disclosure. The Act mandates accurate ingredient listings and bans "cure-all" medicines with secret, harmful components.

The Supreme Court's order to break up Standard Oil's monopoly protects consumers from predatory pricing and anti-competitive practices, ensuring companies cannot use their market power to squash competition or inflate prices. It protects consumers by promoting competition and preventing single companies from dominating industries.
The Supreme Court affirms federal authority to crack down on deceptive therapeutic claims under the Pure Food and Drug Act, protecting consumers from people promoting fraudulent health claims and other dangerous patent medicines.
The FTC is created as America's first consumer protection agency, giving ordinary citizens a powerful ally against dishonest businesses. Previously, consumers had little protection against false advertising, dangerous products, or scams. The FTC investigates consumer complaints, stops deceptive business practices, and ensures fair competition.

This ruling establishes that corporations must put shareholder profits first, which creates tension and conflict in regard to protecting consumers.
It was America's first independent product testing organization, aimed at exposing dangerous products and false advertising through unbiased scientific methods. In 1981, Consumer's Research Inc. was sold to a publisher and largely ceased product testing. Since 2020, the organization has reemerged aligned with extreme political initiatives.
Explore key eras in consumer protection history! Know your consumer rights so you can claim them. Together, we can engage in the necessary and hard work ahead to win greater protections for our communities and ensure every one of us can live a joyful, healthy life.
