Better Business Bureau Refers
'Animal Care Certified' Case to the Federal Trade Commission

On August 25, 2004, the Better Business Bureau officially referred the "Animal Care Certified" egg labeling case to the Federal Trade Commission for possible law enforcement action against the United Egg Producers.

This major victory is the culmination of more than a year's effort by COK to prohibit the egg industry from misleading consumers about its routine animal abuse.

Currently, egg producers can label their egg cartons with an "Animal Care Certified" logo even if they confine birds in cages so small they can't flap their wings, burn off parts of their beaks without painkiller, and starve them to the point where they've lost 30 percent of their body weight.

We hope the BBB's referral will encourage the FTC to act now to stop this consumer fraud.

The "Animal Care Certified" Campaign Timeline:

May 2003: COK investigators documented disturbing, yet standard, cruelty at an "Animal Care Certified" egg factory farm in Cecilton, Md. Click here for the investigation's photos.

June 2003: COK filed a petition before the Better Business Bureau asserting that the United Egg Producers (UEP) was engaging in false advertising by allowing its member producers to use an "Animal Care Certified" logo on their cartons. COK launched EggScam.com.

November 2003: After weeks of filings submitted by both the UEP and COK, the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division ruled in COK's favor, stating that the ACC logo is misleading and should be discontinued. The Associated Press ran a story on its national wire about the ruling.

November 2003: The UEP appealed the case to the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Review Board

May 2004: The consumer protection organization affirmed its earlier ruling and stated the ACC logo should be discontinued or modified. Again, the Associated Press ran a story on its national wire about the ruling. Click here to see the article.

May 2004: COK investigators gathered evidence at another "Animal Care Certified" egg factory farm, this time in Millington, Md. Standard egg industry abuses were once again documented in video and photos. Click here for the investigation's photos.

July 15, 2004: Washington, D.C.'s ABC affiliate, WJLA, ran an exclusive I-Team report on the "Animal Care Certified" issue entitled, "Egg Fraud." Click here to watch the piece. The following day, WJLA's affiliate, News Channel 8, did a 20-minute live interview with COK's Paul Shapiro about the issue. Click here for the transcript.

July 28 and August 4, 2004: New Jersey's Twin-Boro News ran a two-part series on the "Animal Care Certified" controversy. Click here to read the text of those stories.

August 25, 2004: After determining that the UEP was not in compliance with the latest National Advertising Review Board's ruling, the Better Business Bureau officially referred the case to the Federal Trade Commission for potential law enforcement action. Click here to see the Associated Press story on the referral, here to see the Des Moines Register story and here to see the USA Today story.

February 15, 2005: COK and four egg consumers filed a lawsuit against two retailers and an egg producer alleging that the "Animal Care Certified" (ACC) logo stamped on egg cartons deceives shoppers by conveying a false message of humane animal care. Read the details on this lawsuit.

May 24, 2005: Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who is a ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection which oversees the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), sent a letter on May 24, 2005, to FTC Chairman Deborah Majoras urging the Commission to take action on a consumer protection matter involving the United Egg Producers' (UEP's) "Animal Care Certified" (ACC) logo. Read Rep. Schakowsky's letter.

September 2005: COK and Giant settle false advertising claims out of court. Giant agrees to remove the "Animal Care Certified" logo from its store brand egg cartons. Read the joint statement issued by COK and Giant.