Consumer News: Gas prices fall this week, Costco recalls thousands of shower benches and more

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– Some good news for drivers filling up their tanks, gas prices have fallen this week. Drivers in the Midlands are paying an average of $2.83 a gallon. That’s still 5 cents higher than a month ago, according to GasBuddy. The cheapest gas in Columbia is priced at $2.60 a gallon, while the most expensive is $2.99. Nationwide, the average price per gallon stands at $3.15 a gallon.

CNN– Costco is recalling about 70,000 shower benches after more than 80 reports of the benches breaking or falling apart. Among those incidents reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, four injuries resulted from the falls. The product in question is the Ivena 20-inch Teak Shower Bench. The CPSC says consumers should return the product to Costco for a full refund.

Southwest Airlines is not planning to resume serving alcohol on flights until at least January. According to a memo to flight attendants, the timetable is linked to the extension of the federal mask mandate for planes and airports to January 18. Southwest was the first major airline in the nation to stop in-flight service at the start of the pandemic.