Majority of Top US Fast-Food Chains Failing to Innovate their Menus for Animal Welfare, Climate, Health, New Scorecard Shows

World Animal Protection creates universal Scorecard to measure corporations' protein diversification policies

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Nov 03, 2021, 12:33 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Food businesses around the world have been investing in protein diversification to meet the demand of diners who are seeking individual meals or whole dietary changes that align with their core values, including better health, animal welfare, and sustainability. The growth in demand for plant-based proteins has benefitted businesses with an increase in foot traffic, sales, new customer acquisition, and returning lapsed customers — all while lowering ingredient costs and providing valuable differentiation among stiff competition.

World Animal Protection, a global animal welfare nonprofit organization, today released the Moving the Menu report. This report, the first of its kind, grades America's 50 largest fast-food chains on their efforts to diversify protein offerings, highlight the benefits of plant-based proteins in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting, and make public commitments to reduce meat by 25% and increase plant-based menu items by 30%.

Companies are awarded 1 - 5 stars depending on the points earned.

Several top-ranked companies are noted as "Menu Movers" for making progress to incorporate permanent plant-based options and highlight the benefits for animals, customers, or the planet that result from increasing plant-based proteins. These include Starbucks, Taco Bell, Burger King, Chipotle, and Panera. While top scorers in this report, these companies should continue to prioritize increasing plant-based options and work to include public messaging on the benefits of reducing meat consumption as well.

Many prominent chains fell into the bottom rankings and are flagged as "Dining Dawdlers" for being slow to embrace plant-based menu options or publicly recognize the benefits of increasing the proportion of plant-based meats. These include Subway, McDonald's, Dunkin', Domino's, and Wendy's.

"Some leading fast-food chains are clearly embracing plant-based to meet consumer demand for meatless options and benefitting from this shift via increased foot traffic and higher sales. The other chains should follow suit and recognize that diversified menus with greater plant-based options are a game-changer for the industry," said Cameron Harsh, Programs Director, World Animal Protection, US. "Over the last 50 years, the consolidation of the meat industry has vested power in just a handful of companies. These companies continue to expand factory farms, filling the market with cheap meat, harming workers, our planet, and animals. Promoting more plant-based eating and reducing meat production is integral for a more sustainable and humane food system."

Despite a positive start in protein diversification from some major food companies, the report highlights the change that's still needed to truly transform our food system. The majority of America's largest fast-food chains are failing to invest in protein diversification and no companies have set public meat reduction targets. Even the top-ranking companies are still at the start of this journey. In addition to increasing permanent plant-based options over time, companies must set ambitious targets to reduce the amount of animal products they sell. This progress should be combined with policies that improve the welfare of all farmed animals that remain in their supply chains.

Growth in the plant-based sector has primarily been driven by the mainstream emergence of the "flexitarian" — someone who still eats meat and dairy but actively seeks to reduce the levels they consume.

"We've long been on a journey to evolve our menu to feed people's lives with unexpected good, including leaving a lighter footprint on the communities around us. With more than 7,000 restaurants nationwide and consumers' growing sustainability concerns, we see the opportunity — and responsibility — to make a positive environmental impact. Over the last year, we have been busy testing a variety of plant-based proteins, like our proprietary Cravetarian Taco and Naked Chalupa with a Crispy Plant-Based Shell. We're also excited about teaming up with Beyond Meat to create a new, innovative plant-based protein, too. Through our innovation, fans won't have to choose between crave-ability and responsible dining", said Missy Schaaphok, Taco Bell's Director of Global Nutrition & Sustainability.

World Animal Protection is calling on companies and diners to make greater progress towards offering more plant-based products while decreasing meat consumption. Eating less meat has the potential to put an end to cruel factory farming, including practices such as extreme confinement, the overuse of antibiotics, and brutal mutilations, and create a food system that is more climate-friendly.

Company Rankings Overview

The following methodology was used for scoring:

Number of permanent plant-based products on the company's menu (30 points available)

0 plant-based products = 0 points
Currently testing plant-based product, limited-time offer, or available in select stores = 10 points
1 permanent plant-based product = 20 points
2+ permanent plant-based products = 30 points

The company highlights the benefits of plant-based meat products in annual CSR or sustainability reporting (50 points available)

Any mention of the environmental, animal welfare, or social benefits of plant-based offerings included in annual CSR or sustainability report = 50 points.
No mention of any environmental, animal welfare, or social benefits of plant-based offerings in their annual CSR or sustainability report = 0 points.

Company has set a public commitment to permanently offer plant-based menu items or a public target to reduce meat products offered (50 points available)

Any public commitment around permanently offering plant-based meat options or meat reduction target = 50 points.
No public commitment to permanently offer plant-based menu items or a meat reduction target = 0 points.

About World Animal Protection
World Animal Protection has moved the world to protect animals for more than 55 years. With offices in 13 countries, World Animal Protection works to give animals a better life. The organization's activities include working with companies to ensure high standards of welfare for the animals in their care; working with governments and other stakeholders to prevent wild animals being cruelly traded, trapped or killed; and working for the better treatment of farmed animals.

World Animal Protection influences decision-makers to put animal welfare on the global agenda and inspires people to change animals' lives for the better. More information on World Animal Protection can be found at: http://www.worldanimalprotection.us/

SOURCE World Animal Protection