A Montgomery County egg producer has agreed to pay $287,500 to settle a class-action lawsuit over allegedly misleading labels on its egg cartons, writes Abraham Gutman for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The lawsuit, filed in December 2023 in a New York federal court, accused Schwenksville’s Alderfer Eggs of falsely promoting its eggs as “free roaming.” The plaintiffs—a New York resident and a vegan advocacy group—argued that this term gave consumers the impression the hens had more space and outdoor access than they actually did.

An animal welfare nonprofit conducted a survey revealing that over 80% of its East Coast residents felt drone images of an Alderfer supplier farm didn’t match their expectations of “free roaming.” The suit claimed that the hens were housed in packed barns with little to no outdoor time.

Alderfer denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid lengthy litigation. The company stopped using “free roaming” on its labels in April 2024, switching to “cage free” instead.

As part of the settlement, customers can request a $2 refund per carton of eggs purchased. Any leftover funds will go toward educating consumers about common industry practices.

“I want the industry to know that there are penalties for misleading consumers about the welfare of chickens,” said Piper Hoffman of Animal Outlook.

Read more about Alderfer Eggs in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on MONTCO Today in March 2025.