Report Reveals Names of Companies Failing to Deliver on Cage-Free Commitments

A decade ago, almost all of the 300 million egg-laying hens in the US were forced to live their lives in cramped, filthy cages, crowded against several other birds, unable to engage in any of their natural behaviors. But that’s beginning to change.

Thankfully, consumers and animal advocates have been speaking out against this cruelty. As a result of their work, hundreds of major food companies have committed to stepping up their standards for animal welfare, and seven states have passed laws to phase out the cruel practice of caging hens.

The industry shift to cage-free housing has been massive: increasing from just 5% cage-free in 2014 up to 28% cage-free supply today and growing. Today, at egg farms across the country, there are 86 million hens who have been spared a miserable life in a cage, thanks to the commitments that animal advocates have won and the good faith efforts of companies in fulfilling their commitments. According to the USDA, the proportion of cage-free hens has more than doubled over the past five years, increasing each year. If this trend continues, by 2025, the majority of egg-laying hens will be free from cages.

However, there are still several companies, including big names like Wendy’s, who have failed to report on their progress and live up to the promises made to the public. Featured in the 2021 Cage-Free Eggsposé, released earlier this month, these companies need to meet their competitors in being accountable to consumers, shareholders, and the media.

Problems with battery cages

Source: mercyforanimals/YouTube

Most people have seen labels for cage-free eggs, but not everyone knows what the alternative to cage-free housing is actually like. In farms that use battery cages, between five and ten chickens are packed into a cage about the size of a filing cabinet drawer. The cages aren’t large enough for the chickens to stand up fully or spread their wings. Each hen has less space than the area of a sheet of paper to herself. Chickens naturally want to perch, dust-bathe, forage, stretch, and walk, but caged hens can’t do any of these things. They like to form nests in private spaces where they can feel safe laying their eggs, but there is no privacy or even any nesting material inside a battery cage.

Being cramped together like this with no personal space, no privacy, and no way to behave naturally causes extreme psychological stress. Aggravated cage-mates peck at other birds, plucking out each other’s sensitive feathers. There’s nowhere to go to escape from aggressive neighbors. The cages are made of metal wire, which can cut into the chickens’ feet, catch and pull out their feathers, or even trap their heads as they lean through the front of the cage to eat. Trapped birds go unnoticed in these massive factory farms, and some slowly die of thirst. Eager for more space to spread out, chickens may stand on the desiccating corpses of other birds. Rows of cages are stacked on top of each other several layers high, so when a chicken in an upper cage defecates, it can fall onto the birds below.

The use of battery cages is a cruel and disgusting practice. That’s why consumers have urged the largest food companies in the country to move to cage-free housing.

Corporations must stick to their word

In response to growing consumer demand, nearly 400 companies in the US have agreed that transitioning to 100 percent cage-free eggs is the right thing to do. But a public statement alone isn’t enough to stop this cruelty. It’s vital that these companies follow through on their commitments. Thankfully, the majority of companies are keeping their word and making progress toward a more ethical food supply chain.

Many of the most recognizable names in the food industry—including Four Seasons, Barilla, Taco Bell, Shake Shack, and Whole Foods—have already gone 100 percent cage-free. And some of the largest food companies, all of which have vast and complex supply chains, are reporting substantial progress on their commitments, proving that this change is possible for companies of any size. These companies include Walmart, Aramark, Marriott, General Mills, Subway, and Darden.

But, as with anything else, there are outliers. Several large food companies, including Wendy’s, Wawa, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Raley’s, Opaa! Food Management Inc., Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, Southern Foodservice, American Food and Vending, and Omni Hotels and Resorts, are falling behind competitors on corporate responsibility and transparency. These companies are featured in the 2021 Cage-Free Eggsposé for keeping both consumers and shareholders in the dark about the eggs and egg products they source, while profiting from packed cages and empty promises of improved animal welfare. They committed to sourcing cage-free eggs by 2020 or earlier, yet these companies have still failed to report any public progress towards these changes on their own or third-party sites, removed cage-free policy promises from their sites, or have backpedaled on their original commitment.

Restaurants, retailers, and foodservice companies have benefited from their public promises, and it’s time they be transparent about whether or not they have lived up to these commitments. Customers and shareholders alike deserve to know how companies are making good on their commitments to reduce the animal cruelty in their supply chains—and to comply with the growing list of state laws that ban the sale of battery-cage eggs.

From corporate policy to law

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports from food companies aren’t the only place where consumers have fought for the inclusion of cage-free policies. Over the past three years, California, Massachusetts, Washington, Michigan, Oregon, and Colorado have all adopted regulations that will ban the cruel practice of caging egg-laying hens. This applies not only to farms in these states but also to any eggs sold in their borders. These rules all have phase-in periods, with the earliest date of enforcement coming on December 31, 2021, in California.

As more and more states continue to enact bans on cages, even the companies that have refused to listen to consumers will need to catch up to the rest of the food industry—or else face the consequences.

Cages must come to an end

The Humane League, alongside its coalition partners, has long advocated for the abolishment of the cruel and outdated practice of caging egg-laying hens. Now, while even more cage-free policies are secured, it’s important to ensure companies follow through on the commitments they make by putting pressure on them to be transparent. Since the release of the 2021 Cage-Free Eggsposé on January 12, three companies, including Arby’s, Pita Pit, and Lucky’s Market, have reported that they are indeed 100% cage-free. Nugget Market stated that its supply chain would be fully cage-free by the end of 2021.

The end of cages is near, not just as a result of the efforts of animal advocates, but thanks to informed consumers speaking up, and responsible corporate citizens taking action. It’s vital that we all continue to hold the egg industry accountable so that our dream of a cage-free future becomes the reality.

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