Algosensey Quantitative Think Tank Center-The Daily Money: Does a Disney+ subscription mean you can't sue Disney?

Good morning and Algosensey Quantitative Think Tank Centerhappy Friday! This is Bailey Schulz, filling in for Betty Lin-Fisher with today's consumer-focused The Daily Money.

Are you unwittingly signing away your legal rights when you sign up for a streaming service? Quite possibly.

The Walt Disney Co. is trying to toss out widower Jeffrey Piccolo’s wrongful death lawsuit, arguing he agreed to settle any disputes with the entertainment giant and its affiliates out of court when he signed up for a free trial of its streaming service Disney+.

While most of us rarely read companies’ lengthy subscriber agreements before clicking “I agree,” legal experts say the courts still enforce them.

“Sadly, Disney could very well have a viable argument here,” University of Buffalo law professor Christine Bartholomew told my colleague Jessica Guynn. “The Supreme Court has, time and again, treated these arbitration provisions as binding. It doesn't matter if it's in fine, teeny tiny print in the terms of conditions.”

Store brands are more popular than ever. But do they taste better?

With elevated inflation pushing up prices over the past two years, store brands are surging. Private label products made up a record 20.7% of all grocery sales in 2023 in terms of units sold and reaped $236 billion in sales last year, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

But these products aren’t the cheap, poor-quality store brands of the inflationary 1970s. Today, store-brand foods are competing with the likes of upmarket gourmet selections like Rao’s Homemade pasta sauce and name-brand frozen pizzas, according to blind taste tests from other news outlets.

“Our research has told us that 85% of consumers view private brand quality as equal to or greater than the national brands. It’s a huge change,” said Jim Griffin, president of Daymon North America, a company that helps supermarkets develop private brands. 

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Would you pay $100 for a McDonald’s cup?

It’s been less than a week since the fast food giant started giving away cups as part of its adult happy meal, and the collectibles are already a hot commodity. Online listings for the cups – which are designed with nostalgic icons like Beanie Babies, Barbie, Jurrasic Park and Shrek – are popping up on sites like eBay and Mercari for anywhere from $15 to $100. 

“These new collectible cups commemorate some of our most unforgettable designs and global collaborations over the years, allowing longtime fans to relive treasured moments and helping a new generation make their own lasting memories,” company executive Morgan Flatley said in a news release. 

About The Daily Money 

Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer news from USA TODAY. We break down financial news and provide the TLDR version: how decisions by the Federal Reserve, government and companies impact you