
Challenging Hormel’s Deceptive Advertising Practices: Natural Choice®
Animal Legal Defense Fund v Hormel Foods Corporation
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against Hormel Foods Corporation alleging the company is misleading consumers through the advertising of its Natural Choice® brand of lunch meats and bacon.
Next Step
Hormel's Opposition brief
Due September 30, 2019
In 2016, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against Hormel Foods alleging the company is misleading consumers through the advertising of its Natural Choice® brand of lunch meats and bacon. The lawsuit was filed with Public Justice and the Richman Law Group in the District of Columbia Superior Court, under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
Contrary to Hormel’s branding campaign, the lawsuit alleges, meats the company advertises as “natural,” “honest,” “wholesome,” and “clean,” actually come from animals raised in the worst factory farms that employ additives, hormones and antibiotics, and contain nitrates and preservatives.
The lawsuit followed an Animal Legal Defense Fund undercover investigation revealing significant animal neglect and violations of laws protecting both consumers and animals at a Nebraska-based farm owned by The Maschhoffs, LLC, a major Illinois-based pig producer and one of Hormel Foods’ largest suppliers.
Under the slogan “Make the Natural Choice®” Hormel has run a wide-ranging advertising campaign that takes advantage of consumers’ beliefs that “natural” meat comes from animals raised in more natural, sustainable ways.
A 2015 Consumer Reports survey found that half of consumers surveyed believed the “natural” designation means animals were raised outdoors; even greater percentages believed it meant animals were not given antibiotics and other drugs. Hormel’s Natural Choice® products, in contrast, are not from more humane or more natural farms, but come from the same industrialized, pharmaceutical-using factory farms as any of Hormel’s other products.
The court denied Hormel’s motion to dismiss the suit in 2017.
Donate to Protect Animals
Help animals win the legal protections they so desperately need and deserve, and ensure they have an advocate in courtrooms and legislatures across the country.
Recent News
-
New White Paper Offers Policy Recommendations to Combat Zoonotic Diseases and Pandemic Risk from Factory Farming
The Animal Legal Defense Fund released the second in a series of white papers — COVID-19 and Factory Farming —providing policy recommendations to address industrial animal agriculture’s role in our heightened risk for zoonotic diseases outbreaks, like COVID-19, and its potential to be the source of the next global pandemic.November 19, 2020 Press Release -
Tell Craigslist to Shut Down Animal Sales
Though Craigslist has officially banned the sale of animals, animals are routinely sold on its platform. Farmed animals including pigs to dogs and cats to lizards and snakes continue to be advertised and purchased on Craigslist under the guise of “re-homing.” -
Animal Sales and Rehoming Scams: How to Spot Them
While Craigslist officially bans the sale of companion animals, in reality such sales are common on the platform, with sellers often using the term “rehoming” in order to skirt the ban. Scams are widespread, with unethical breeders and dealers frequently selling animals who are sick, stolen, or even nonexistent.
Related Cases
-
Challenging Louisiana’s Meat-Labeling Censorship Law
Tofurky v. Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
-
Challenging CEQ’s CAFO Exemptions Under NEPA
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement v. Council on Environmental Quality
-
Holding Slaughterhouses Accountable for Water Pollution
Cape Fear River Watch v. Environmental Protection Agency
Looking for case and legal resources? View Resources
See More