I found that eggs have a variety of different ethical labels. This product has a certified humane label and is advertised as cage free.
The Certified Humane label ensures that all farms are held to current humane standards set by veterinarians and animal welfare scientists. These standards have food, water, and air requirements along with space and enrichment requirements. This also assures consumers that the farms are being inspected by third party inspectors to ensure that the regulations are being followed and that the hens are properly taken care of.
The label is sanctioned by Certified Humane, and organization dedicated to ensure the welfare of production animals and lists their full standard on their websites so that consumers can see what regulations the products with their labels have been held to.
The label also includes the claim that they are, cage free, without antibiotics or added hormones and are vegetarian fed.
Cage free is a label regulated by the USDA and states that “Hens can move freely within the building/hen house and have unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.” Raised without antibiotics means antibiotics were not used at any point, even in the hatcheries. No added hormones is more of a glamour label since federal regulations have banned hormone use in poultry since the 1950’s. Vegetarian fed does not mean the hens are vegetarian it means that the hens are not being fed animal by product.