Animal Law Review
First Page
215
Abstract
Consumer protection claims have become a critical tool for animal welfare advocates to attack the misrepresentations that animal agriculture producers make about the humane treatment of their animals. Currently, these claims are an important accountability mechanism, as “humane” labeling standards have not been adopted on the federal level. As consumers become increasingly focused on making ethical food-purchasing decisions, consumer protection claim lawsuits have become more and more successful, drawing the attention of attorneys within and outside of the animal welfare movement. The primary limitation of consumer protection claims in the animal welfare space is that these lawsuits do not actually address the treatment of the animals themselves, but rather only what the companies themselves are saying about the treatment of their animals, using “humane” marketing as an advertising tactic. Still, consumer protection lawsuits represent an important opportunity to hold animal agriculture producers responsible for any misrepresentations they make about their treatment of animals. This Article explores the growth and challenges of bringing the animal welfare movement into consumer protection claim litigation.
Recommended Citation
Jaycie Thaemert,
Animal Welfare Consumer Protection Litigation: Challenges and Possibilities for Bringing About More "Humane" Labeling Practices,
2
Animal L. Rev.
215
(2023).
Available at:
https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol29/iss2/6