Free-range eggs producer accused of deceiving US consumers

Source: The Guardian

Free-range eggs producer accused of deceiving US consumers

Nellie’s Free Range Eggs packaging shows hens in open pastures, but lawsuit alleges as many as 20,000 are crammed into sheds

Oliver Milman in New York
Thu 7 Mar 2019 16.47 GMT

The producers of Nellie’s Free Range Eggs have been accused of deceiving US consumers about how well it treats its hens in a lawsuit lodged in New York City.

The packaging of the eggs shows hens roaming open pastures and being cuddled by children. This is deceptive, the lawsuit claims, because Nellie’s crams as many as 20,000 hens into crowded sheds, with just 1.2 sq ft of floor space each.

The US district court complaint, by four individuals represented by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), further alleges that Nellie’s provides little outdoor access for its hens and allows its suppliers to kill all male newborn chicks.

Nellie’s New Hampshire-based parent company, Pete and Gerry’s Organics, has labeled the eggs, which cost up to $8 for a dozen, as “Certified humane”. The Boston Red Sox recently adopted the brand as the team’s “official egg”.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/07/nellies-free-range-eggs-lawsuit-packaging