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2001
Rhoda H. Karpatkin, who led CU as its President for 27 years, retires. James A. Guest, who chaired CU's Board of Directors between 1980 and 2000, becomes CU's sixth President.

2002
ConsumerReports.org hits the one-million paid subscriber mark. Today, ConsumerReports.org has more paid subscribers than any other publication-based Web site.

2003
Consumers Union celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its Annual April Auto Issue with a special bigger-than-ever commemorative edition that takes a look back at the evolving role of its test program and safety efforts, while helping consumers get the right vehicle at the right price today. The very first auto issue in 1953 covered 50 cars compared to the 2003 edition, which covered a 210-vehicle mix of cars, pickups, minivans, and SUVs.

For the first time, Consumers Union offers its readers and all consumers the opportunity to make their voices heard in the marketplace through interactive online campaigning. The organization transitions its advocacy offices to cover the entire United States, and one of its first campaigns—the reduction of hospital acquired infections—takes immediate hold, mobilizing thousands of activists and eventually leading to laws in more than half the states in the country.

2004
The "Pets & Vets" cover story in the first issue of a redesigned Consumer Reports magazine wins a National Magazine Award.

The Consumer Reports Money Adviser, the CR New Car Buying Kit, and the online version of Consumer Reports on Health are launched as new tools for 21st century consumers.

2006
ShopSmart, a shopping magazine geared at women aged 30 to 45, launches as a quarterly magazine with the credo "No Hype + No Ads + Just Great Buys!"

Consumers Union received a National Press Club award for consumer journalism for "New Concerns About Ionizing Air Cleaners" and "Air Cleaners: Some Do Little Cleaning."

2007
ConsumerReportsHealth.org Web site and the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center are launched to meet consumers' demand for health information from a trusted source.

2008
ConsumerRerports.org surpasses 3 million subscribers, the most of any Web site of its kind.

Consumer Reports on Health newsletter reaches 640,000 subscribers, up almost 30 percent over three years.

Consumers Union plays a critical role in the passage of a law to overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission and make children's products safer.

We launch the Cover America Tour to document consumers' experiences as part of our larger effort to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility, of health care. We visit 80 cities in an RV, log 17,620 miles, connect with thousands of people at events, and collect 100 stories on video.

2009
On January 1, 2009, Consumers Union acquires The Consumerist, a popular, edgy, and irreverent consumer news and advice Web site. The acquisition brings with it a young, tech-savvy audience. While its tone is different, The Consumerist is perfectly aligned with Consumers Union's mission of marketplace empowerment.

Consumers Union publishes a guide in both English and Spanish on the transition to digital television to help analog television owners understand the switch. The Federal Communications Commission pays for and distributes more than 1 million copies.

Consumers Union forms a coalition of regulators and educators to distribute critical safety and recall information to millions of parents and caregivers at www.clickcheckandprotect.org.

2010
To be available anytime and anywhere consumers need us, Consumers Union makes a big leap to the really small screen with Consumer Reports Mobile, which delivers ratings of popular product categories instantly to cell phones. Consumers can compare performance and price, view test scores, and get details of the products. We also launch the Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper, which allows consumers to scan product barcodes right in the store and access all current Ratings and recommendations.

Thanks to legislation Consumers Union helped pass, the number of Americans with comprehensive health insurance will dramatically rise—by an estimated 32 million—by 2014.

CU helps secure sweeping regulatory reforms, including the creation of a new financial watchdog to oversee the many money products offered to consumers. We also successfully advocate for a new Federal Reserve rule that requires banks to get customers' permission first before enrolling them in costly debit-card overdraft loan programs.