Animal Welfare Labeling

In an August 30 interview with USA Today, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said that Whole Foods Market will be introducing a rating program for animal products. The signs, to be implemented by January 1, 2011, will provide information for customers about exactly how meat animals were raised. The new program follows the company’s transparency goals, which have recently made the company the first chain to provide information to customers about the raising methods of the store’s seafood products. Mackey, himself vegan, also announced the coming launch of a private line of fully vegan products low in sugar, salt, and oil, modeled from the Engine 2 Diet.