The following survey asks about awareness and perception of the label “Animal Care Certified, ” including the perceived meaning of the term and practices allowed within the certification.

87% of adults purchase eggs from a grocery store while 13% do not and 1% are unsure.

“Some egg cartons are labeled with the phrase ‘Animal Care Certified.’  What do you think this means?”

• Treat chickens humanely/being kind to chickens (18%)
• Animals are cared for (13%)
• Safe for human consumption (7%)
• Government regulated/certified (4%)
• They are free range (2%)
• Animal rights influence (1%)
• Not factory-farmed (1%)
• Not sure/have never seen it (53%)

“If you saw an egg carton labeled as  ‘Animal Care Certified’ versus no label, are you much more likely, somewhat more likely, somewhat less likely, or much less likely to purchase eggs with the Animal Care Certified label instead of the carton with no label?”

• Much more Likely (15%)
• Somewhat more likely (11%)
• Somewhat less likely (2%)
• Much less likely (4%)
• No difference (60%)
• Not sure (8%)

Those who are more likely to purchase ACC labeled eggs are those adults living in the East (31%), 50-64 year olds (33%), women (27%), and self-identified progressives (45%).  Those less likely to purchase ACC  labeled eggs include African Americans (13%), South (8%) and college graduates (8%).

“What practices do ‘Animal Care Certified’ allow?”  (is allowed/ not allowed/ not sure)

• Forced molting (31%/48%/21%)
• Caging hens (28%/52%/21%)
• De-beaking (26%/45%/29%)

“Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that labeling eggs as ‘Animal Care Certified’ that come from hens who are de-beaked, force molted through starvation, and caged so tightly that they cannon stretch their wings is misleading?”

• Strongly agree (60%)
• Somewhat agree (10%)
• Somewhat disagree (4%)
• Strongly disagree (8%)
• Not sure (18%)

“Knowing that eggs labeled as ‘animal Care Certified’ that come from hens who are de-beaked, force molted through starvation, and caged so tightly that they cannon stretch their wings, are you much more likely, somewhat more likely, somewhat less likely or much less likely to purchase the eggs with the Animal Care Certified label instead of the carton with no label?”

• Much more l likely (8%)
• Somewhat more likely (4%)
• Somewhat less likely (13%)
• Much less likely (36%)
• No difference (31%)
• Not sure (8%)

Those groups more likely to say refrain from purchasing eggs with ACC labeling were those in the east (46%), west (52%), under 30 (58%) and women.