labels that deceive
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While most chicken producers are creativein the way they advertise their products anddo not allow farm visits .
Theres no doubt about it .Chicken producers try to be creative when it comes to encouraging
consumers to buy their brand. Even a deformed chicken foot has its uses!
Labels that de c e iv e March 2009
Special report by Compassion in World Farming (South Africa)
A Case in Point:
In 2006, the Legal Alliance for AnimalWelfare (LAAV), with the co-operationof Compassion in World Farming(South Africa), formally complained to
the Advertising Standards Authorityof South Africa (ASASA), alleging thatthe County Fair label on chickenproducts (right) failed to comply withthe South African Advertising Code inthat it was neither honest nor truthfuland was likely to mislead the con-sumer.
LAAV argued that a reasonable consumer wouldassume from the County Fair label that the chicken hadbeen reared in a free range environment, had eatennatural food and had grown to adulthood (as depictedby the fully-grown rooster). In reality, the County Fairproduct had been:
intensively farmed in crowded conditions
fed growth-promoting feed
exposed to artificial lighting 23 hours out of 24 toencourage eating
slaughtered at just 40 days, never having been ex-
posed to a freerangeenvironment.
But how about the simple truth!
The reality of
intensive c hicken
farming. Photo: Mark
Schlesinger
. Elgin Free Range Chickens (below)willingly gives photographs of actual rearing conditionsand invites visitors to its farms.
Photo: Mark Schlesinger
However, on 23 June 2006, the ASASA dismissed the
complaint on the grounds that the label was notmisleading. A reasonable shopper, it said, would lookfor the words free range on packaging and, in theirabsence, would assume that the product was not freerange.
Deceptiveadvertising? ...
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Compassion in World Farming (SA) calls on supermarkets to arrange that their suppliers label allanimal-derived products with a Welfare Checklist. A suggested format for such a checklist is set outbelow. Compassion in World Farming (SA) would be happy to assist in developing a suitable checklist.
Compassion in World Farming, South African Office
PO Box 825, Somerset West 7129 Tel. 021 852 8160
email: [email protected] www.animal-voice.org www.ciwf.org
Towards lives worth living .
Welfare Checklist Yes NoAnimals reared in free range or organic system in compliance withGood Agricultural Practice
No animals subjected to mutilations
No antibiotics or other growth promoters used
No starvation or severe feed restrictions
No forced feeding
No animals nor their offspring sold live for informal slaughter
No long distance transport to slaughter
Only humane slaughter methods used
Compassion in World Farming (SA) appeals to the four major supermarket chains to introduce labelling thatenables consumers to make informed choices regarding animal husbandry practices.Please add your voice and email: Tessa Chamberlain, GM Sustainable Development, Pick n Pay,[email protected] Brian Weyers, Marketing Director, Shoprite/Checkers, [email protected] Graham Claassens, National Brands Manager for Spar, [email protected] Peter Gordon,Commercial Manager: Meat, Seafood and Poultry, Woolworths, [email protected] Please con-tact us for their postal addresses if you wish to write a letter.