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Legal action forces the egg producer to revise its marketing and compensate customers over deceptive claims about hen welfare
A Montgomery County egg producer, Alderfer Eggs, has agreed to a $287,500 settlement to resolve a federal class-action lawsuit.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the lawsuit, filed by a New York man and a vegan-advocacy nonprofit, accused the company of misleading consumers by labeling its eggs as coming from “free roaming” hens.
This term suggested a higher standard of animal welfare, but the plaintiffs argued that the hens were confined to crowded barns without meaningful outdoor access, per the report.
The settlement, pending approval, aims to compensate affected customers and fund educational efforts about egg industry practices.
The case stemmed from an allegation that Alderfer falsely marketed its eggs as being from free-roaming hens, a term that many consumers associate with humane farming practices, according to the article.
A survey commissioned by the nonprofit group, Animal Outlook, found that more than 80% of East Coast respondents disagreed with the farm's portrayal of its hens' living conditions. Despite the lawsuit, Alderfer denied wrongdoing but chose to settle in order to avoid lengthy litigation, according to the article.
As part of the settlement, affected customers could potentially claim $2 per carton of eggs labeled as "free roaming."
Unclaimed funds will be turned over to Animal Outlook for further consumer education about the realities of the egg industry, according to the article.
In response to the lawsuit, Alderfer ceased using the term “free roaming” in 2024, revising its marketing to clarify that the eggs are "cage free."
Read more on the incident here.
