California Democrat Mark Takano and Nevada Republican Mark Amodei to the rescue, who this week introduced the Preventing Excessive and Unused Subscriptions (PEWUS) Act to combat this growing scourge. On that note, kudos to Rep. This legislation would help make their cancellation process seamless and simple, just like it should be when you sign up. Nationally, the average U.S. household throws away an estimated $127 per year on subscriptions they aren’t using. That’s why we need more solutions that are easy for consumers to understand and act upon.
The financial burden on consumers is significant. A survey conducted by CNET in 2025 suggested that the average household could waste up to $204 on unused subscriptions. It’s a terrible value proposition for millions of Americans who are left paying for services they’ve either long since forgotten or no longer use. In reality, some people lose more than $1,000 annually to just two or three leftover subscriptions. The average American is losing out on hundreds of dollars a year from subscriptions that are too difficult to opt-out of.
Federal efforts to create consumer protections against these annoying subscriptions have encountered impenetrable barriers. A recent federal court ruling has left protections designed to aid consumers in canceling unwanted subscriptions unable to take effect. In reaction, the Unsubscribe Act would make it illegal for corporations to use intentionally tricky unsubscribe methods that frequently baffle customers.
Rep. Mark Takano delivered a powerful floor statement on the matter recently, laying out how greatly small monthly fees can harm recipients financially over time.
“A $5, $15, or $50 monthly subscription may not feel like much – but over a year, that can be $600 or more.” – Mark Takano
He made an example of the companies that count on certain consumers to not remember when their free trials are ending. This oversight leaves a vacuum that businesses are eager to fill and profit from.
“Companies can predict that a certain percentage of consumers will overlook the trial ending, and they profit from that.” – Mark Takano
Consumers have frequently been met with punitive cancellation procedures. Takano underscored that these processes are often multilayered. In some cases, you’re required to send physical letters to unsubscribe.
“Consumers often discover that cancelling requires many more steps than signing up – sometimes even mailing a physical letter.” – Mark Takano
The Unsubscribe Act directly addresses all of these problems. It promises that cancellation is as simple as enrolling.
Consumer surveys show that subscription management is a major pain point for most Americans. The subscription-based service model is all the rage. In answer to the public’s outcry, legislators are working to bring more transparency and less friction to the management of these automatic payments.