Lots of animal suffering

What a mess: the Easter nest as a deceptive package

When the Easter bunny brings colorful eggs this year, he not only has to dig deeper into his wallet, but should also pay attention to the origin. Because there may be a lot of animal suffering in the nest.

Painted eggs, ham and, of course, sweet chocolate bunnies are simply part of Easter. However, these are often produced under questionable conditions. The Easter bunny should definitely take a close look when shopping. For example, caged hens have been banned in Austria since 2020.

Imports from abroad not permitted
However, imports from abroad are still permitted. However, thanks to an agreement between all retail chains, such eggs are no longer sold. The situation is different in the catering and food processing sectors.

Those who pay attention to the origin not only get healthy food, but also support the companies behind it.

Theresa Imre, markta-Chefin

"Good on the outside, bad on the inside"
The trained Austrian knows that an egg bought here was laid by happy hens. But at Easter in particular, the motto "Good on the outside, bad on the inside" comes into its own. Because as soon as an egg is boiled and painted, the principles of animal welfare are thrown overboard. Not only are caged eggs permitted in "processed products", but there is also no obligation to label them - as is the case with raw eggs, where each piece must be stamped (farm number).

Facts and figures

• Each person in Austria eats an average of233 eggs per year. Modern laying hens lay between 290 and 320 eggs a year.
• According to WIFO, only 3.67 euros go to agriculture when you buy 100 euros worth of food.

Chains voluntarily rely on labeling
Teresa Bauer from the Association for Consumer Information knows: "Many manufacturers now voluntarily indicate the farming method and country of origin, also as a sales argument. You should keep your hands off eggs without this information, especially if they are particularly cheap. At markets and stalls, consumers can often only trust the statements made by the sellers."

The domestic meat industry is also under great cost pressure. According to research by a regional supermarket, this is reflected in the conditions under which the animals are kept. Markta boss Theresa Imre: "Easter meat is a lean business for the suffering of the animals. While exactly 57.7 percent of all pigs were kept on fully slatted floors in 2010, the figure was 68.7 percent in 2020."

Austrians spend 850 million euros on chocolate every year
The Easter bunny is almost even more popular than Easter eggs - especially when he shows his chocolate side. 850 million euros are spent on chocolate in Austria every year. Where this money goes is the question.

Consumers want transparency when it comes to the origin of Easter eggs. Boiled eggs should also be labeled.

Teresa Bauer, Verein für Konsumenteninformation

After all, people and the environment sometimes suffer for cocoa and sugar. Working conditions in cocoa cultivation are often poor and even children are used. VKI expert Bauer: "Consumers should look out for the Fairtrade seal and avoid palm oil."

The shopping guide at www.tieranwalt.at provides an overview of the animal welfare seals