Wal-Mart sued over organic eggs from alleged homebody hens

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is facing a lawsuit over its organic eggs that allegedly come from hens that do not spend time outside of their coops, according to Reuters.

The lawsuit, filed Monday, claims the superstore chain misled U.S. shoppers by selling organic eggs laid by hens raised in enclosed structures under package labels that told consumers the birds had “outdoor access,” the wire service reported.

The suit calls into question consumer concerns about production practices in the $500 million organic egg industry, farmers told reporters. This, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month postponed its plans to regulate for the first time what it means for birds to have outdoor access, according to Reuters.

Wal-Mart sells the questionable eggs under its Organic Marketside brand. The complaint states the birds are raised by Cal-Maine Foods Inc. inside enclosed structures with screens that let in air.

“Consumers paying more for these eggs have been deceived,” stated the lawsuit, accessed by the wire service. “The theoretical ability to view the outdoors is not the same as having access to it.”