"Animal Care Certified"—A Case of Animal Abuse and Consumer Fraud

From 2002 to 2005, the majority of U.S. egg producers labeled their egg cartons with a logo that read "Animal Care Certified." Despite the image conveyed by such a message, hens who were laying "Animal Care Certified" eggs were still subjected to abuses so terrible, they would lead to prosecution if forced on the dogs or cats with whom we share our homes.

In 2003, COK filed legal petitions with federal agencies and the Better Business Bureau, alleging that these producers were engaged in misleading advertising. But this was just the beginning of COK's campaign.

Over the next two years, COK conducted investigations inside so-called "Animal Care Certified" egg farms, argued its case two times before the Better Business Bureau, lobbied federal agencies, produced damning media exposés, conducted consumer polls and public outreach, and even filed a lawsuit.

The hard work paid off not only with nationwide media coverage of the abuses endured by so-called "Animal Care Certified" hens, but on September 30, 2005, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that the United Egg Producers' deceptive logo would no longer be stamped on egg cartons nationwide, as soon as April 1, 2006.

This landmark victory received national media attention, including articles printed in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, USA Today, and Des Moines Register.

Despite all of these steps, the "Animal Care Certified" is still being advertised. As recently as February 2008, COK documented this misleading logo on egg cartons being sold in stores in New Jersey. Read about the consumer fraud lawsuit COK filed in New Jersey in February 2008.

See below for more campaign details.

COK ACC 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.

Hens laying “Animal Care Certified” eggs.

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, which is now EggIndustry.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." 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.

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.

February 2005: COK investigators documented conditions inside Maryland's three largest egg farms, two of which are “Animal Care Certified.” Conditions for hens on all three farms are strikingly similar. View photos and video from these investigations.

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.

October 2005: The Federal Trade Commission announced that the United Egg Producers will discontinue its use of the misleading “Animal Care Certified” logo. Read the details of this campaign victory!

March 31, 2006: This marks the last day the egg industry could use its deceptive “Animal Care Certified” logo per the agreement with the Federal Trade Commission. Still see the logo on egg cartons?

September 21, 2006: The United Egg Producers paid $100,000 to settle the claims of 16 state attorneys general offices and the District of Columbia attorney general that it engaged in false advertising relating to the use of its “Animal Care Certified” logo. Read the article.

February 20, 2008: COK and a New Jersey egg consumer file a lawsuit against the UEP and ISE America, an egg factory farm in New Jersey, for the continued use of the misleading "Animal Care Certified" logo. Read the details of this lawsuit.