COVID-19 Consumer Watch

The grocer Smart and Final has agreed to pay $175,000 in penalties to settle allegations of price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic, state prosecutors said Tuesday.

The Seattle-based coffee franchise had already raised prices — once in October 2021 and December 2021 — but inflation woes and labor issues have forced the company to hike prices once again.

Shoppers across DFW are encountering medicine shelves that are empty or close to it. One employee at an East Dallas pharmacy called it "the new toilet paper shortage.”

Salesforce, a global software company, says holiday price hikes come as the U.S. economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic and contends with a backup of cargo ships at America’s ports.

Retail experts suggest Americans should start their holiday shopping early since the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global supply chain.

Many Americans struggling to feed their families over the past pandemic year say they have had difficulty figuring out how to get help and had trouble finding healthy foods they can afford.

The Better Business Bureau is warning of email and other online scams. So stick to reputable sites when you're purchasing items pertaining to the pandemic such as masks, home COVID tests, thermometers and other supplies.

Certain N95 masks from Shanghai Dasheng should no longer be used by health care workers due to a failure to “implement, maintain, and control a quality management system,” the FDA said.

“Getting vaccinated remains the single most effective thing we can do to protect ourselves and our communities,” an internal note obtained by FOX Television Stations stated.

Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks is urging consumers to buy their fireworks sooner rather than later.

Two meat companies are offering free beef, pork and chicken for a year to 50 families who get the COVID-19 vaccine at one of the companies’ sponsored clinics.

Walmart and AT&T teamed up to offer affordable internet to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.

Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill as part of an emergency government program to keep people connected during the pandemic.

The service is available for guests with Apple devices.

It was unclear how many Disney employees would be affected by the store closures.