Fraud involving alleged organic eggs: PETA files criminal charges

Video recordings show that around 300.000 eggs are incorrectly labeled every day

This morning PETA Deutschland eV unveiled one of the largest re-labeling or incorrect labeling of eggs that has ever taken place in Germany. Every day, it is estimated that over 300.000 eggs are re-labeled or incorrectly labeled as free-range and organic eggs, while the chickens are kept in an animal-torturous barn enclosure behind a wire crate. The legally prescribed run-out is completely absent.

"If barn eggs are sold as free-range and organic eggs, then that is fraud and according to our research, this accusation is hardened," says Dr. Edmund Haferbeck, agronomist from PETA Deutschland eV this morning in Berlin.

The animal rights organization has extensive video material from two Landkost companies in Spreenhagen andBestensee. The recordings document not only the lack of exercise but also the catastrophic animal husbandry in the halls. Further PETA investigations revealed that the eggs from the abused animals are sold as free-range eggs in Berlin supermarkets, especially at Kaiser's-Tengelmann (under the "Freiland-Landkost" brand) and EDEKA (under the "Freiland-Luisenhof" brand).

Particularly piquant: the eggs are also sold via a recognized and award-winning organic farm in Deersheim. They are then sold to other well-known retail groups. REWE offers the eggs under the REWE own brand "Füllhorn", at EDEKA under the EDEKA own brand "Bio Wertkost", at Coop under the Coop own brand "Bio Coop" and at Penny under the own brand "Naturgut". The baby food manufacturer Hipp also gets its eggs from the dubious organic farm, which obviously has a straw man function.

"It was surprising that the responsible veterinary office in Spreenhagen had been informed about the lack of a run for a long time," says Dr. Haferbeck "In addition, the egg producer is connected to the allegedly independent control system KAT from Bonn and even one of the largest German animal protection organizations advertises the eggs in the supermarket. Obviously everything that can fail has failed here".

This morning, PETA Germany filed criminal charges against the Landkost company fromBestensee and against Biohof Deersheim GmbH.

Source: Gerlingen [PETA]