This week’s Mercy For Animals California egg farm investigation continues to pay off big time. Trader Joe’s just announced it will no longer carry eggs from Gemperle, the factory farm at the center of this investigation.
That’s all well and good, but here’s what I find interesting. Despite upgrading its house brand of eggs to cage-free more than two years ago, Trader Joe’s has continued to sell battery eggs under the rationale of fostering consumer choice. And as of right now, today’s announcement merely means that Trader Joe’s is shifting its egg purchases from one factory farm to another. Yippee.
Let’s contrast Trader Joe’s to one of its closest competitors, Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods can’t be found in the news today, being tied to Gemperle eggs. And why is this? Because Whole Foods doesn’t sell any eggs from battery hens. Given that Trader Joe’s purchasing standards weren’t high enough to prevent them from purchasing eggs from a farm with rampant animal cruelty, now would be an opportune time for the chain to match the egg purchasing standards of Whole Foods Market.
When a company’s purchasing policies are insufficient to avoid scandal, it’s time to upgrade the policies. Link.
