Eggsposure: NGOs Unite to Expose Foul Play in South Africa’s Egg Industry

On World NGO Day, a global celebration of civil society’s role in driving meaningful change, leading advocacy groups in South Africa are launching the **Eggsposure Campaign **to call for transparency and accountability from the food industry in South Africa, specifically, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA).

The campaign, led by the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and Animal Law Reform South Africa (ALRSA), reveals CGCSA’s actions which, they argue, obstruct civil society engagement, suppress consumer and constitutional rights, hinder transparency, and support cruel and outdated systems – such as battery cages for egg-laying hens.

"South Africans, including faith communities and ethical consumers, are calling for change," says Zwelisha Shobede, Cage-Free Coordinator at SAFCEI. "Battery cages are not just cruel- they are unnecessary. The industry needs to be prepared to listen to the growing demand for humane, transparent, and sustainable food systems."

At the heart of the campaign is an Open Letter to CGCSA that outlines how its actions can be taken as an effort to suppress and harm civil society and NGO engagement. Such statements and actions could have the following impacts:

• Blocking transparency by withholding critical industry research from the public.
• Silencing NGOs through intimidation tactics and misleading narratives.
• Perpetuating cruelty by protecting battery cage farming instead of advocating for humane alternatives.
• Suppressing consumer choice by preventing the public from making informed, ethical food decisions.

"Civil society organisations play a crucial role in South Africa’s constitutional dispensation in ensuring the protection of rights, freedoms and justice for all. Powerful industry bodies such as the CGCSA, claim to espouse values such as “Integrity. Excellence. Accountability.”, yet have adopted an obstructive and harmful approach when it comes to efforts by CSOs to transform cruel and unsustainable practices in the egg industry" says Amy P Wilson, Acting Executive Director of ALRSA. "Civil society will not be intimidated into silence. The public deserves the truth, and we demand accountability."

The Eggsposure Campaign is a wake-up call for consumers to demand transparency and accountability from stakeholders in the egg supply chain, including businesses, industry representatives, and policymakers.

Civil society groups are urging other role players in the South African egg industry to reject cruel and unsustainable systems, such as battery cages, and to make independent, ethical business choices.

Members of the public are encouraged to educate themselves about their food choices, share, and support the campaign.

Visit www.eggsposure.org for more information. The public is encouraged to share the campaign, and join SAFCEI’ s Earthkeepers’ Fast Action Network (FAN) to keep pressure on CGCSA to respond.