PETA Is Claiming That Whole Foods Lies About Its Animal Welfare Standards

Whole Foods has been in some hot water as of late. First it was caught systematically lying to New Yorkers about prices and "routinely overstating the weights of [sic] of its pre-packaged products." Then the organic supermarket behemoth almost gave us the misguided shelf-warmer that is $6 asparagus water. (The product has since been pulled and pegged as a labeling error.)

Now, the Austin-based corporation is facing yet another lawsuit—and some disturbing claims aimed squarely at the core of the brand's carefully honed ethos.

A lawsuit filed by PETA—you know, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—on Monday in federal court in Northern California alleges that the chain's monitoring of its meat suppliers is a "sham." At the heart of the lawsuit is Whole Foods' trademarked "5-Step System," which purports to ensure that meat sold in its stores, and certified under this system, is humanely raised.

The lowest rating under the certification system, "Step 1,"is supposed to ensure that the animals raised thereunder have suffered "no cages, no crates, no crowding." "Step 5+," on the other hand, is the highest rating, and animals raised up to these standards live an "animal-centered" life, spending their "entire life on [the] same farm" with extensive outdoor access.

The problem says, PETA, is that the certification system is a mess. According to the complaint they filed in court, the standards "are not actually enforced or do not require meaningfully better treatment for meat animals compared to the industry standard." Therefore, says PETA, "consumers are deceived into paying a higher price for meat that fails to offer the benefit they seek."

Specifically, the problem according to PETA is that Whole Foods audits suppliers just once every 15 months—not enough to ensure true compliance. Furthermore, PETA says, violators do not face repercussions, and besides, the standards "barely exceed common industry practices." In short, PETA believes that Whole Foods is getting people to pay a bundle—a "whole paycheck," as they say—for what amounts to "false advertising."

"This is about Whole Foods misleading consumers that are buying meat," Jared Goodman, director of animal law for PETA, told The Boston Globe in a telephone interview. "These are individuals who might make the decision not to buy meat. Whole Foods offers programs that give them impression that it is okay."

Whole Foods Global Corporate Communications Analyst, Blaire Kniffin, on the other hand, told us by email today: "We are aware that PETA has filed a suit against us in California, but have not yet been served. It is important to remember that PETA's mission is a total end to animal agriculture and animal meat consumption, and their claims against our business are generated with that specific goal in mind."

Meanwhile, just a day before filing the lawsuit, PETA released a video of what looks like pig abuse in a Pennsylvania farm that supplies Whole Foods. In response to the video posting, Whole Foods says it stands by the farm, but that it will be reevaluating the practices of the supplier.

In short, PETA's position is this: "When a grocery store's standards for improved animal welfare are not actually enforced or do not require meaningfully better treatment for meat animals compared to the industry standard, consumers are deceived into paying a higher price for meat that fails to offer the benefit they seek,"

But Whole Foods stands by its rating system: "No other grocer has done more than Whole Foods Market has to help move an entire industry toward higher levels of quality and improvements in animal welfare."

Looks like this one will have to be resolved in court.