Not your imagination: from backpacks to food, consumer goods are getting worse
Summary
Many well-known consumer brands are owned by large corporations and private equity firms that often reduce product quality to increase profits. This has led to more problems and complaints from customers about goods like backpacks, cookware, and clothing. Experts say the pressure to satisfy shareholders can cause companies to focus less on quality and more on making money quickly.Key Facts
- Popular brands like North Face and JanSport are owned by the VF Corporation after many acquisitions.
- A study found that about 75% of Americans had quality or service problems with products in 2025, double the rate since 1976.
- Customer complaints are at record levels according to the University of Michigan’s Customer Satisfaction Index.
- Founder-owned brands often get sold to big companies or private equity that lack emotional ties to the brand.
- Large investors and shareholder activism put heavy pressure on company leaders to increase profits quickly.
- Corporate profits in the first quarter of 2025 reached a record $3.9 trillion annually.
- Some founders, like Ben & Jerry’s co-founder, say cutting quality gradually happens to boost profits but harms the product in the long run.
- The shift toward prioritizing shareholder returns can reduce product quality and damage customer trust.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
