3 To Know: Starbucks has something for mom; Target cracks down, more

1. Starbucks releases new Mother's Day merch, including sky blue Stanley cup

Starbucks has released new goodies for all the mother figures out there – and they’re full of color, flowers and more.

The tumblers, mugs and a Stanley cup range in price from $14.95 to $49.95, the coffee chain said in a news release.

“The new Mother’s Day drinkware collection is available in a variety of prism and floral designs for mom to enjoy all year long,” the company said.

Mother's Day falls on Sunday, May 12 this year.

Included in this year’s release are the company’s new:

• 14 ounce exotic flowers mug – $14.95
• 24 ounce exotic plants cold cup – $19.95
• 12 ounce yellow prism luster tumbler – $22.95
• 24 ounce purple prism cold cup – $24.95
• 40 ounce sky blue Stanley quencher – $49.95 

In addition to the latest cup releases, Starbucks has created new gift cards in honor of mother figures that customers can buy at participating Starbucks stores from April 16 to May 14. A digital card will be available online until May 12.  

The company added that Starbucks Rewards members who visit stores with a clean, personal cup in tow will earn 25 stars and 10 cents off their drinks. The deal works in the café, on the Starbucks app or in the drive-thru as long as customers have made at least one Star earning transaction. – Saleen Martin/USA Today

2. Social Security's COLA estimate rises; but seniors could struggle as inflation heats up

The latest estimate of Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment for 2025 rose to three percent after the government reported hotter-than-expected inflation in March, new calculations showed.

The higher COLA adjustment was the third this year after the reacceleration of inflation each month in 2024. The 2025 COLA estimate was 1.75% in January, and 2.4 percent in February.

The consumer price index (CPI), a broad measure of goods and services costs, rose 3.5 percent in March from a year earlier, according to government data reported Wednesday. That's up from 3.2 percent in February and more than the 3.4 percent average forecast from economists.

“That means older consumers are losing buying power,” said Mary Johnson, retired Social Security and Medicare Policy analyst.

The Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers from July through September. – Medora Lee/USA Today

3. New technology at Target to crack down on theft at self-checkout kiosks

A month after announcing a reduction in the number of items shoppers can bring to Target’s self-checkout kiosks, the retail giant is introducing a new technology to prevent theft in stores, according to multiple media reports.

Truscan, the name of the technology, is designed to detect if there is anything near a kiosk that has not been scanned. It will then release audio and visual cues if an item isn't scanned correctly.

One of the technology’s most critical functions will be to track people who have been flagged with improper scanning, according to the reports.

Truscan will be introduced to shoppers before the end of the year.

Target did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information about Truscan and how it will work.

Last month, Target announced that shoppers would only be allowed 10 items or less at self-checkout kisosks. The change took effect on March 17, USA Today previously reported. – Emilee Coblentz/USA Today

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