Hi,

I thought you might be interested in a consumer fraud issue that affects just about everyone who purchases eggs.

Right now, The HSUS has a major campaign urging Trader Joe’s to stop supporting animal abuse. Despite overwhelming customer requests, Trader Joe’s refuses to stop selling eggs from battery-caged hens. The defense it uses is that its cage egg suppliers adhere to a voluntary egg industry program called “Animal Care Certified.”

This is a program whose marketing the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has ruled to be false advertising. The BBB has even requested that the Federal Trade Commission take legal action against the use of the program’s logo. One of the program’s charter enrollees was just recently charged with animal cruelty – the first time ever an egg company has faced cruelty charges.

The good news is that while some grocers continue to sell eggs labeled with false advertising, other retailers and universities are joining a growing animal welfare trend. Earlier this month, a $50 million grocery chain joined two of the top three natural foods retailers (Whole Foods and Wild Oats) in stopping sales of eggs from caged hens. And major colleges and universities across the country have reformed their purchasing policies in response to student demand.

There are five Trader Joe’s stores in and around the Philadelphia region. Whole Foods also has a number of stores in the area. If you have any questions, I can be reached via email, work phone at 301-721-6419, or cell at 202-213-1865.

I’d love to talk to you further about this story. Thanks for your time!

Josh

Josh BalkOutreach CoordinatorFactory Farming CampaignThe Humane Society of the United Stateshttp://www.hsus.org301-721-6419 (direct line)[email protected]