AI & CPG Scaling: More than half of CPG firms aren’t tracking ROI from AI, pushing executives to move from pilots to enterprise rollout with clear metrics and governance. Local Consumer Tech Trust: AI search is increasingly steering shoppers using “signals” like reviews, but it can miss licensing and nuance—raising the stakes for how businesses manage local reputation. FTC vs. Amazon Ads: The FTC and 22 states sued Amazon over alleged ad-auction manipulation, claiming over $20B in overcharges to advertisers that could flow to consumers. Big Tech Child Safety: Meta agreed to a record $52.6M settlement with South Dakota over claims its platforms harmed children, with lawmakers deciding how funds go to consumer protection. Energy Affordability: Kentucky opened a probe into why residential power costs jumped 21.8% since 2020, while Delaware signed data-center ratepayer protections. Food & Drink Trends: Sake demand keeps climbing; DISCUS and WSET launched new sake courses. Packaging Innovation: London Packaging Week revealed 87 finalists for 2026 Innovation Awards, spotlighting fiber and smarter mono-material designs. Scam Watch: BBB Scam Tracker shows ongoing fraud losses, with health and identity theft scams still prominent. Beef & Prices: A Trump proclamation would allow 300,000 metric tons of beef imports to try to lower grocery prices. Drug Pricing: Trump announced new “most-favored-nation” deals with nine pharma firms to cut Medicaid drug costs. Consumer Safety Recalls: Cuisinart expanded a grill brush recall to millions of units.