ASPCA ShopKind™ Launches to Help Shoppers Nationwide Find More Humane Food Locally

NEW YORK - The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today launched ASPCA ShopKind ™, a new, free digital tool that helps grocery shoppers find more humanely raised food near them. Americans are deeply concerned about the animal welfare, environmental and health impacts of industrial animal agriculture while more humane farms need help reaching consumers in a marketplace crowded with misleading labels. ASPCA ShopKind makes it easier to find local and online sources of meat, eggs, and dairy from more than 250 farms and brands using strong certifications that ban animal confinement and require outdoor or pasture access, as well as other standards that address farm animals' critical needs.

According to national survey data released today, nearly 7 in 10 Americans report not knowing where to find more humanely raised meat, eggs, and dairy locally, with only 9% reporting that they feel confident knowing where to look locally for these products. This confusion leads to well-meaning consumers inadvertently supporting farming practices that are not aligned with their values. ASPCA ShopKind offers an interactive, personalized platform so shoppers can find the most humane products closest to them.

"ASPCA ShopKind connects concerned consumers with welfare-conscious farmers and brands who all want a more humane food system, but their voices and values are often overwhelmed in a marketplace flooded with factory-farmed food," said Daisy Freund, Vice President of Farm & Industry Engagement for the ASPCA. "By setting a standard for more humane farming and channeling consumer power, ASPCA ShopKind will accelerate the urgently needed transition toward more humane, safe and sustainable farming practices that allow animals to feel sun and fresh air rather than spending their lives confined in warehouses."

For more than a decade, the ASPCA has worked to educate consumers about more humane food choices through its Shop With Your Heart® program. ASPCA ShopKind is replacing this program to provide a single, easy-to-use tool with new functionality, including:

• A map using geolocated data across more than 34,000 locations nationwide, to help consumers find verified higher-welfare products from local stores, farms, farmers markets and online retailers.
• A build-and-share-your-list function so users can save the products they're interested in and email it to themselves or others for future reference.
• Farms and brands pioneering animal welfare improvements including a filter to find the first eggs produced without male chick culling, chicken products from farms that raise more humane and healthy breeds and pet food and treats made with higher-welfare standards.
• Tips on decoding food labels and opting for pasture-raised and plant-based products to support a more regenerative, humane food system.

ASPCA ShopKind identifies products that were analyzed on critical welfare issues for each farm animal species from farms verifying their practices by an expanded spectrum of animal welfare, regenerative and grass-fed certification programs.

The ASPCA is the nation's first and leading animal welfare organization, founded in 1866, with the mission to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. Celebrating its 160th anniversary this year, that mission continues to drive the ASPCA's work today, which includes advocating for the protection of farm animals to increase transparency in animal agriculture, end the cruelest factory farming practices, ensure adequate funding for a more humane food system and connect consumers with higher-welfare food aligned with their values.

To find higher-welfare food or learn about the ASPCA's work with farmers and the food industry to help create more humane policies for farm animals, visit aspca.org/shopkind. Join the conversation on social media by using #shopkind and tagging the ASPCA or spread the word by sharing ASPCA ShopKind resources on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.