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Can a Parking Lot Sign Mandating Arbitration Be Enforced?

Edgar (aka MrConsumer) — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:21:50 +0000

A Colorado consumer who parked in an LAZ lot in Denver is suing that company (and others associated with enforcing parking lot rules at that facility) over a billing dispute. [See complaint.]

In the lawsuit, the consumer claimed that the parking companies involved illegally obtained his name and home address contrary to the federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) which limits who can access official motor vehicle department records. (Presumably those companies captured his license plate and obtained his registration information from the DMV.)

The parking companies told the judge that this matter needed to go to arbitration because there were supposedly conspicuous signs in the lot that told customers that any parking disputes had to be handled through arbitration.

Can merely having a sign hanging in a facility bind a customer to mandatory arbitration in case of a dispute?

*MOUSE PRINT:

The judge recently ruled that a contract was formed:

… a reasonable driver knows that when they park in a parking lot, they agree to an implied contract with the lot owner: the lot owner allows the driver to park on their property, and the driver agrees to follow the rules laid out by the lot owner, including paying the required rates. If the driver does not follow the rules or does not pay, they may be subject to a ticket or their car being towed. The driver is free to leave the lot without parking if he does not want to agree to these implied terms …

But, with respect to arbitration, only one of the three companies who were being sued by consumer, can get out of the lawsuit. And that is the company named on the sign responsible for enforcing nonpayment issues. The other two companies, Laz and the company that provides the license plate reading technology that snagged this consumer, still have to face charges in court.

The judge did not accept the consumer’s argument that he failed to see the signs since it was dark. She found them to be conspicuous and in multiple locations, and the consumer chose not to learn the terms of this implied contract with the parking lot, that was his fault.

One has to wonder if this could lead to stores putting mandatory arbitration notices on their entrance doors (e.g., “If you enter the store, you agree to resolve any disputes with X retailer via arbitration”)?

They’re Peddling 8 Prescription Drugs in a Home Emergency Kit

Edgar (aka MrConsumer) — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:24:49 +0000

MrConsumer was taken aback when he saw a nationally televised commercial by The Wellness Company selling an emergency kit containing eight prescription drugs that you keep at home just in case you need them at 2 a.m. when pharmacies and doctors’ offices are closed.

You get bottles of these eight prescription drugs to self-treat conditions such as parasites, strep, pneumonia, lyme disease, bacterial infections, GI and urinary tract infections, and more.

To get the kit, you have to fill out a health form, and have a brief consultation with a health professional at the company who can write the prescription.

Once you get the kit, how exactly do you diagnose yourself with these conditions? They give you a handy booklet about what to use each drug for, or you can speak to a health-care professional at their company during regular business hours for an extra fee, presumably.

And how much does this kit cost? $299.

*MOUSE PRINT:

In their FAQ section they reveal a key fact:

To the best of our knowledge, no state pharmacy boards or consumer authorities have taken legal action against the company because what they are doing may not be outside current medical, legal, and ethical guidelines. One state pharmacy board reportedly denied a drugstore’s request to carry a similar kit in their store.

Some things are very unsettling about this whole proposition:

Shouldn’t new conditions be diagnosed first by a doctor, rather than having patients read a booklet to self-diagnose and self-medicate, perhaps incorrectly, in the middle of the night?

Should doctors and pharmacies be allowed to prescribe and dispense packages of drugs on the speculation that someday they might come in handy, particularly knowing that some patients may self-medicate without proper diagnosis or medical follow-up?

Can’t purchasers of these kits wait until 8 a.m. the next day to call their doctor to get a real diagnosis or prescription?

How many of these drugs will expire before use and wind up being a big waste of money?

Why haven’t state or federal medical authorities stepped in to regulate sales of kits like these?

Please offer your thoughts in the comments.

Here We Shrink Again – Spring 2026 – Part 2

Edgar (aka MrConsumer) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:26:25 +0000

We continue this week spotlighting some of the various products that were reduced in size recently.

Dawn Platinum

Dawn Platinum claims to be “new and improved” yet their claim for cleaning efficiency remains the same — “Removes 99% of grease and food residue.” One thing for sure is, the new bottle will clean fewer dishes because it went from 32 ounces to just 30.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Febreze Air Freshener

Carolina M. didn’t want to make a stink about it but she tipped us off to some shrinking Febreze spray cans going from 8.8 ounces to 8.1 ounces.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Smucker’s Strawberry Jam

Richard G. discovered reports that Smucker’s strawberry jam recently lost two ounces from each jar going down to 30 ounces. Maybe they need to change their slogan — “with a name like Smucker’s it is sure to be ~~good~~ smaller.”

*MOUSE PRINT:

Kellogg’s Corn Pops

Cereal is another category where shrinkflation is very common. This time the shrink ray hit Kellogg’s Corn Pops, going from 18.1 ounces down to 16.4. That’s about two fewer cups of cereal per box. The new boxes hide the drop in net weight by becoming more narrow, but look about the same size head-on in the supermarket aisle. Sneaky.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Swiffer Dusters

Glenn S. found that there are now fewer Swiffer dusters in a box than previously. The old box of 28 has gone down to 24.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Kirkland Fabric Softener

Store brands are not immune from shrinkflation. Here, Costco’s Kirkland brand of fabric softener dramatically downsized from 187 ounces yielding 276 loads to 150 ounces and 257 loads. Presumably the cap has changed too. Thanks to Nora F. for this submission.

*MOUSE PRINT:

If you spot a product that has been recently downsized, please take a picture of the old and the new one and send them to: Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks.

Here We Shrink Again – Spring 2026 – Part 1

Edgar (aka MrConsumer) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:44:22 +0000

We continue our never-ending series of stories spotlighting some of the various products that were reduced in size recently, otherwise known as shrinkflation.

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Assortment

Keri M. who works in a retail store discovered that Hershey’s removed over five ounces of candy from the party size bag of dark chocolate snacks. The bags went from 29 ounces to just 23.9 ounces, but they both were priced at $19.99.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Quilted Northern Toilet Paper

Toilet paper is one of the most frequently downsized product categories. Tom G. discovered that Quilted Northern lopped off 40 sheets from each mega roll, going from 295 to just 255 sheets. In a six-pack, that removes almost a full roll of the newly downsized product.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Three years ago, the mega size went from 328 sheets on a roll to 295.

Iams Dog Food

Dry dog food is another category where the bags keep getting smaller and smaller. Brendan B. recently brought to our attention that Iams reduced their XL bags from 44 pounds to 38.5 — a five-and-a-half-pound reduction. (Some stores have a 40 oz. version.)

*MOUSE PRINT:

Thomas’ Bagels

Bagels keep getting smaller. Factory-produced ones were once 24 ounces in a six-pack. Then they went to 22 ounces, and some reduced to 20 ounces, like Thomas’. Now those are down to 18 ounces with 30 fewer calories. Thanks to Richard G. for this submission.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Oscar Mayer Beef Franks

It seems like frankfurters are getting smaller and smaller too. The latest brand to do that is Oscar Mayer which went from being a pound to 15 ounces.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Great Value Ground Coffee

Even Walmart gets into the downsizing act on their store brands. Here, the old 11.3 ounce cans of ground coffee became just 9.6 ounces. You probably lost about five cups of coffee in the process. Remember when ground coffee used to come in one-pound cans?

If you find a popular product that has been downsized recently, please send a picture of the old and the new version to Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks

Will Grubhub Really Eat the Fees?

Edgar (aka MrConsumer) — Mon, 25 May 2026 09:29:19 +0000

Grocery and food delivery services are notorious for adding on all kinds of service charges and fees when ordering from them. Now one big company has had a change of heart.

During the Super Bowl, Grubhub advertised a surprising policy change. Going forward, they said they would no longer tack on any delivery fees or service fees for restaurant orders over $50.

Only in the tiniest of type in the last frame of the commercial did the service point viewers to a website with the fine print details.

*MOUSE PRINT:

So is it true? Pretty much, except for certain regional or government imposed fees. But look at this long list of possible extra charges.

Of course, you still have to check whether the price offered for food on Grubhub is the same as the restaurant would charge if you walked in and ordered takeout. Grubhub says it is the restaurant that sets the prices that it offers on its website. So do double-check.

And remember, if your order is under $50, their regular fees still apply.