Americans don’t know the true meaning of food labels like “cage-free,” “free-range,” or “grass fed”
Most Americans don’t know the true meaning of food labels like “cage-free,” “free-range,” or “grass fed” and falsely believe that farm animals are protected by laws or independent oversight according to the results of a new national survey released by the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®). The survey also showed that, despite their misconceptions, approximately three quarters of consumers surveyed are concerned about the welfare of animals raised for food and are paying more attention than they were five years ago to food labels that indicate how those animals were raised.
“Americans are increasingly concerned about the welfare of farm animals and want to make a difference when shopping for food, but are understandably confused by a number of misleading or meaningless labels,” said Daisy Freund, Director, ASPCA Farm Animal Welfare Program. “Consumers are willing to pay for more humane options but need help understanding which labels provide meaningful welfare improvements for farm animals."