Is Consumer Reports Truly Independent?

Like many, I was introduced to Consumer Reports by my grandmother, who relied on its ratings for everything from appliances to cars. For generations, it has stood as a trusted, nonprofit guide in a marketplace full of hype and hidden agendas.

Founded in 1936 amid labor unrest at Consumers’ Research, Consumer Reports (CR) was established by Colston Warne and Arthur Kallet to provide truly unbiased product evaluations during the Great Depression. Warne guided the organization through McCarthy-era accusations of communism, while maintaining its focus on worker rights and consumer protection. By the 1960s, CR’s collaboration with Ralph Nader helped drive automotive safety reforms, including the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.Today, CR tests more than 10,000 products annually, drawing on surveys from millions of consumers. Its methodology emphasizes objectivity: more than 130 experts in dedicated labs conduct blind tests on items purchased anonymously, with no input from manufacturers. The organization’s 327-acre Auto Test Center alone logs 500,000 miles of driving each year. These efforts cost over $30 million annually, just for testing and product purchases, within a broader program services budget of $209-210 million (78–85% of total expenses).

Media Bias/Fact Check rates CR as “Least Biased” with high factual reporting.

Yet questions persist about its independence.

The Financial Picture

In fiscal year 2025, CR reported operating revenue of $244.4 million. The bulk, 85%, or $208.3 million, came from subscriptions and program services. Contributions from individuals and foundations added $32.5 million (13%). Non-operating income included $32 million from investments and $0.5 million in royalties.

The remaining $26.3 million fell under “other revenue,” a category that includes affiliate commissions and licensing fees.

The Affiliate Question

CR partners with retailers like Amazon and Rakuten, embedding affiliate links in its online content. The organization earns commissions on purchases made through these links but insists the rates are uniform across products and retailers, with no influence on ratings or coverage. All fees, CR states, support its nonprofit mission, and disclosures comply with FTC guidelines.

Critics, however, see inherent risks. Even uniform commissions create incentives to feature highly monetizable products. A 2025 study in Information Systems Research found that affiliate disclosures alone reduce reader engagement by 20% and erode trust.

Psychological biases, such as anchoring toward higher-payout items, can operate subconsciously. Online forums and Reddit threads frequently accuse CR of subtle favoritism (example:  toward certain car brands), while a separate 2025 Indonesian study highlighted demographic variations in consumer skepticism toward affiliate-influenced reviews. Subscriber surveys, meanwhile, may suffer from recall bias.

CR remains a vital counterweight to misinformation and corporate influence.

Yet its reliance on affiliate revenue invites legitimate scrutiny.

A Path to Greater Independence

Eliminating “other revenue” entirely, assuming it is 100% affiliate-derived, would reduce annual revenue by roughly 10%. That is not insignificant, but it is manageable.

CR’s core subscription revenue already approaches $208 million, supported by an estimated 6 million paid members at $39 per year (totaling approximately $234 million at full value, accounting for discounts and multi-year plans). Dropping affiliate income would require attracting roughly 670,000 additional subscribers to break even on that stream.

In an era of widespread distrust toward product recommendations, that goal seems achievable, especially if CR marketed the change aggressively: positioning itself as the only major reviewer funded exclusively by subscribers and donations, with no external commercial ties whatsoever.

Such a move would not only silence critics but reinforce CR’s founding promise of absolute independence. In a crowded media landscape, true impartiality could prove its most valuable asset.