VICTORY: COK Wins the “Animal Care Certified Campaign”
 On
September 30, 2005, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that the United
Egg Producers' (UEP's) "Animal Care Certified" logo will no longer
be stamped on egg cartons nationwide, a decision that brings to an end the egg
industry's three-year national advertising campaign that misled consumers concerned
about animal cruelty.
Two years ago, COK brought national attention to the deceptions of the nation's
leading egg trade association through undercover egg factory farm investigations,
revealing the deplorable conditions customary at facilities deemed "Animal
Care Certified." We escalated our efforts and filed petitions with several
federal agencies and the Better Business Bureau. In an early victory, the consumer
protection organization agreed with COK and compassionate consumers everywhere
that confining laying hens in cages so small the birds can't even spread their
wings can hardly be considered good welfare. The logo continued to appear on
egg cartons, however, so the case was sent to the FTC for review.
 According
to the FTC, by March 31, 2006, the "Animal Care Certified" logo will
be replaced with an alternative logo reading: "United Egg Producers Certified."
Although the UEP's guidelines still permit routine animal cruelty including
intensive confinement in battery cages and debeaking without painkiller (a mutilation
that slices off the tips of birds' sensitive beaks), the new logo will no longer
convey a false message of humane animal care.
This landmark campaign victory received extensive media coverage, including
news reports across the country, as well as articles in The New York Times,
Washington Post, USA Today, Des Moines Register, and Baltimore
Sun.
"Animal Care Certified" Campaign History
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2003
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2004
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2005
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COK launched the "Animal Care Certified" Campaign after our
investigators documented appalling conditions for hens inside a United
Egg Producers' certified farm in Maryland—conditions that no reasonable
consumer could possibly consider proper animal care. In a petition subsequently
filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and federal agencies, we asserted
that the United Egg Producers' "Animal Care Certified" logo
on egg cartons represented false and misleading advertising. The BBB agreed
and recommended that the logo be discontinued. The egg industry, however,
appealed the case.
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During the same month that COK investigators filmed abuses of hens at
another certified egg factory farm, the BBB affirmed its earlier ruling,
stating that the "Animal Care Certified" logo should be discontinued
or modified. The logo, however, remained in use, prompting the BBB to
refer the matter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for potential legal
action against the egg industry—a rare move that put COK's campaign
and the routine mistreatment of egg-laying hens in the national spotlight.
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Despite the damning media exposés and the BBB's efforts to protect
consumers, egg cartons everywhere continued to bear the "Animal Care
Certified" logo. While awaiting a ruling from the FTC, COK turned
up the heat in 2005:
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February 2005
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February 15, 2005
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May 24, 2005
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COK investigators documented abusive conditions for hens inside all three
of Maryland's largest egg farms, two of which are "Animal Care Certified."
Click here for details.
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COK and four egg consumers filed a lawsuit against two retailers and
an egg producer for their continued use of the misleading "Animal
Care Certified" logo. Click here for details.
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Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a ranking member of the U.S. House
of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection,
which oversees the FTC, sent a letter to FTC Chairperson Deborah Majoras,
urging the federal agency to take action on the consumer protection issue
involving the "Animal Care Certified" logo.
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September 2005
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September 30, 2005
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October 2005
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Just seven months after filing our lawsuit, COK and Giant settled false
advertising claims out of court. Giant agreed to remove the "Animal
Care Certified" logo from its store brand egg cartons. The Washington
Post covered the settlement on September 16 and featured a longer
story on September 19.
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The Federal Trade Commission announced that the United Egg Producers
will discontinue its use of the misleading "Animal Care Certified"
logo.
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COK's campaign victory received extensive print and television coverage!
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