{"id":316489,"date":"2025-11-24T21:27:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T21:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/activist\/pr-tactics-from-big-tobacco-how-sobeys-justifies-cage-cruelty\/"},"modified":"2025-11-24T21:27:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T21:27:16","slug":"pr-tactics-from-big-tobacco-how-sobeys-justifies-cage-cruelty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=316489","title":{"rendered":"PR Tactics from Big Tobacco: How Sobeys Justifies Cage Cruelty"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Following Animal Justice\u2019s nationwide protests<\/a> over Thanksgiving weekend that drew significant attention to Sobeys\u2019 ongoing cage practices, the Atlantic-based grocery store chain offered a response in a piece by CTV Winnipeg<\/a>. The response was telling\u2014exposing the deceptive PR tactics behind Sobeys\u2019 broken promise to go cage-free.<\/p>\n

How Sobeys Is Using Big Tobacco PR Tactics to Sell Eggs from Caged Hens<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When corporations reference \u201cconsumer choice\u201d as an answer to negative publicity for questionable business practices, we know to be on high alert for manipulative marketing tactics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

\n \u201c<\/span>
\n \u2026[W]e recognize that affordable food choices remain critically important to our customers. We believe in providing customers with choice so they can make the decisions that are right for their households\u2026
\n \u201d<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

\n \u2014Sobeys\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Companies like Sobeys use \u201cconsumer choice\u201d talking points to walk back responsible sourcing commitments. They likely don\u2019t realize how familiar we are with this strategy, which companies have imported from US front groups<\/a> with a sordid history of defending smoking, pesticides, and processed foods.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Role of Front Groups in Shaping PR Tactics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Front groups are organizations that intentionally appear independent and impartial but are actually funded and controlled by a specific industry, company, or political interest group to promote their agenda. Front groups form when industries fall out of favour with the public.<\/p>\n

Starting in the 1970s<\/a>, it was major tobacco corporations, their lobbyists and trade associations\u2014later known as Big Tobacco\u2014that first popularized the \u201cpersonal choice\u201d argument for PR purposes. For decades, as consumer awareness of the harms of smoking increased, US tobacco front groups<\/a> emphasized personal responsibility and \u201cchoice\u201d in an effort to stay unregulated and avoid responsibility for public health.<\/p>\n

One of the more well known US front groups, the Center for Consumer Freedom\u2014a front group originally created to boost the tobacco industry\u2014was initially called \u201cThe Guest Choice Network.\u201d This was an apt name for a PR and lobbying group funded by the tobacco industry to fight against smoking bans in restaurants\u2014all under the guise of protecting \u201cconsumer choice.\u201d <\/p>\n

Importantly, the Big Tobacco marketing playbook spread to agricultural marketing groups<\/a> in the 2000s when concerned consumers started to cast suspicion on \u201cBig Ag\u201d for its role in animal cruelty and environmental devastation.<\/p>\n

\"Hen\"Hen
Hens in battery cages at Sobeys egg supplier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sobeys \u201cProviding Customers With Choice\u201d Exposed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So why did Sobeys bother to say anything about consumer choice? Is the \u201cchoice\u201d to buy eggs from caged hens really what Canadian consumers want, or, even a choice at all?<\/p>\n

When Sobeys told CTV that affordable food choices are critically important to customers, it followed a vague statement about the animal welfare issue at hand\u2014that Sobeys is \u201cincreasing the availability of cage-free eggs.\u201d This is a far cry from Sobeys\u2019 original, globally-recognized policy \u201cto source only cage-free eggs by the end of 2025.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Instead of acknowledging its shortcomings and moving forward with shorter-term goals to make progress, Sobeys attempted to frame its policy backtracking as a positive for customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But just imagine if Sobeys said it this way, \u201cWe recognize that giving our customers the choice to buy eggs from caged hens is critically important.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Or imagine this in the context of other responsible sourcing issues: \u201cWe recognize that giving our customers the choice to buy chocolate produced with unfair labour practices is critically important,\u201d or \u201cWe recognize that giving our customers the choice to buy products with palm oil that destroys rainforests is critically important.\u201d<\/p>\n

The nonsense is obvious: promoting the \u201cchoice\u201d to buy products that go against Canadian values is not a good look. Bringing in the concern about affordable food choices is even worse. When it comes to eggs from caged hens, Sobeys is telling Canadians that only the wealthy deserve access to higher welfare products.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\n