Reporting from St. Louis — American shoppers face an array of labels in their grocery stores, most designed to help them make healthful choices. Soon they'll see yet another label — this one concerning the treatment of animals in the food chain.
"There's organic, there's fair trade, but 'humane' is the next big thing," said Phil Lempert, a supermarket and consumer behavior analyst. "We ask shoppers what they're looking for, and that's what they're telling us."
The increasing consumer demand, though, has already touched off a controversy over labeling standards for meat and eggs — and resulted in charges that some producers have misrepresented their products and practices.
The process of crafting clear and meaningful standards, Lempert said, could get contentious.
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