The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday urged Amazon and Walmart to police their marketplaces for false "made in America" claims by outside companies. "Bureau staff have received information that third-party…

The DTC footwear brand may have overestimated its customers’ appreciation for sustainability, and underappreciated their desire for fashion. A key Allbirds differentiator is its use of innovative materials, made from recycled and natural sources. But the company may not have appreciated that even the consumers laser-focused on the environment would want more. “Indeed, sustainability comes way down the batting order behind factors like style, price and comfort,” Saunders said. “Allbirds could have leaned into any of these things alongside its green credentials but largely chose not to do so.” Anyone looking closely at Allbirds’ supply chain may have quibbled with its claims, given the carbon footprint, according to Matt Powell, senior adviser with BCE Consulting. Even if the supply chain were squeaky clean, though, the brand would have needed the right merchandise.

Will protein fatigue hit in 2026? Just as big food makers like General Mills and PepsiCo are catching up to the high-protein trend with products like protein-packed Cheerios and Propel water, a sense of protein fatigue is setting in. In 2025, a number of beloved American classics got injected with a dose of protein. Kellanova rolled out its line of protein Pop-Tarts in November, taking inspiration from challenger Legendary Foods, which helped popularize gluten-free and keto-friendly toaster pastries. The new Pop-Tarts offer 10 grams of protein per serving and come in flavors like strawberry, blueberry and brown sugar cinnamon. Not to be outdone, Doritos protein chips are coming to shelves in 2026. From a sales perspective, there are few signs that protein mania is slowing down. But on social media, some brands and consumers are starting to poke fun at the onslaught of protein-filled products. Sweetgreen, for example, ran a social media campaign last year making fun of items like protein popcorn and protein cold foam, while calling out the amount of protein that Sweetgreen offers through “real nourishment.”