Whole Foods customer issues warning to people who buy Vital Farms eggs

Photo by@earthmama.cass/TikTok Carlos Yudica/ShutterStock RFondren Photography/ShutterStock

‘You literally can’t trust anybody, ‘I thought I was eating clean eggs. Paying a fortune to feed a family of four!'. A Whole Foods customer accused Vital Farms of “greenwashing” those who want to buy pasture-raised eggs.

This video originates from the creator @earthmama.cass, whose profile describes her as "guiding you towards a simpler way of living through her digital work." The video was uploaded on Thursday and had surpassed 263,000 views by Friday morning.

She kicks things off by belting out the chorus from Queen’s 1980 masterpiece, “Another One Bites the Dust,” and immediately dives into allegations. She alleges that Vital Farms is not transparent with shoppers who might come across the brand at Whole Foods.

“No, but seriously, I am so frustrated right now,” she says, “because I just heard about Vital Farms greenwashing us. Yeah, Vital Farms is supposedly super-ethical, super-eco-friendly, and sustainable, also pasture-raised, organic, non-GMO eggs that you buy at Whole Foods for $10.89 for a dozen.”

“Yeah, no, they’re actually greenwashing us,” she continues. “Unfortunately, I have been a victim of that because I try to buy pasture-raised eggs whenever possible, even the ones that f–ing cost $12 for a dozen.”

What is ‘greenwashing?’

The New York Times describes "greenwashing" as "a phrase suggesting dishonesty in ethical business practices."

That 2021 article referenced a lawsuit from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which “contend in their suit that Vital Farms’ treatment of chickens is inconsistent with the company’s advertising, which gives the impression that its chickens roam free and live a pampered life. That image, the suit argues, allows the company, which went public in August with a valuation of $1.3 billion (that has since fallen to about $845 million), to charge a premium price for its eggs.”

The greenwashing charges were also the subject of a lively debate on the r/Agriculture subreddit on Reddit, where one contended, “Word on the chicken forums is that Vital Farms hadn’t had chickens outdoors since 2020 when the avian influenza outbreak started. They can continue to advertise pasture raise because the legal definition is the same as free range. So basically the chickens have access to a concrete courtyard, if at all.”

The TikToker continues, “It’s like, why is it so hard to be healthy in America? This is exactly why. Because, well number one, capitalism. Number two, it’s—I just don’t understand. I mean, this is why there’s an uptick in homesteading, in backyard gardening, in just people wanting to be more self-sufficient because you literally can’t trust anybody.”

But Vital Farms has its defenders

A Mashed article updated in October 2023 examined shopping at Whole Foods, under the title, “The Real Reason You Should Never Buy Eggs At Whole Foods.” While that article cited the prices that the creator hinted at as the reason not to buy eggs at the grocery chain—a dozen organic pasture-raised Vital Farms eggs are $9.49 at Whole Foods’ flagship store in downtown Austin, Texas—it did make the exception with Vital Farms.

Pulling from a Business Insider article praising Vital Farms, Mashed noted, “They may be pricey, but in this case, you get what you pay for in a good way. The bright orange yolk actually proves a Vital Farms egg has 30 percent more vitamin A, and the eggs are “certified humane,” with the chickens getting a guaranteed amount of pasture space. If that’s important to you, springing for the more expensive eggs, which are on par with what you might find at a farmer’s market, may be worth it. If not, it seems you can save money on eggs by shopping almost anywhere other than Whole Foods.”

What did commenters think?

The video drew some spirited opinions on the issue.

“The entire organic food industry is ‘greenwashing’ us,” one commenter alleged.

“I think there are small businesses out there who truly are trying to make a difference and grow organic, ethical produce and products,” the creator responded, “But in today’s day and age, it’s just hard to know what’s what.”

Another said, “So now what? I thought I was eating clean eggs. Paying a fortune to feed a family of four!”

The creator, in turn, suggested shopping at farmers’ markets.

But one claiming to have inside knowledge questioned the lawsuit allegations. “Ex vital employee – They are very much fully pasture-raised and organic. The hens have free range access outdoors,” they wrote.

That led another to respond, “Thank you for this because they’re my favorite eggs and I was about to cry because I don’t love eggs most of the time but I loooove these eggs.”