Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging grocery stores across the state to add clear signage to help consumers identify which eggs come from caged chickens. Department of Attorney General sent a letter to SpartanNash (PDF), a Michigan-based grocer, emphasizing the importance of transparency in egg sourcing. The initiative aims to help consumers make informed choices following a report from Positive Sum Strategies that highlighted widespread confusion in SpartanNash stores.
Cage-free eggs come from hens that are not kept in cages, allowing them to roam freely inside a barn and engage in natural behaviors such as walking, nesting, and perching. These cage-free systems generally provide better living conditions for hens compared to traditional battery cages, which raise numerous public health, environmental, and animal welfare concerns. Beginning in 2025, Michigan law will prohibit the sale of eggs from caged hens.
“Every consumer deserves to feel confident about the food they put on their dinner table,” Nessel said. “Confusing or misleading marketing can make it difficult for customers to choose the products that are right for them. By insisting upon clear signage on egg cartons, we can give consumers the power to make informed decisions about how to spend their hard-earned money.”
In March 2023, the Attorney General sent a similar letter to grocery chain Kroger Co. following a report that concluded from polling that customers found the company’s marketing of caged chicken eggs misleading. Both reports highlighted confusion over egg carton sourcing claims and called for increased transparency and higher standards of animal welfare.
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