New Data Shows 89% of Cage-Free Egg Commitments Are Fulfilled by Food Corporations

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May 14, 2024, 08:42 ET

Vast majority of companies that pledged to remove cages from egg supply chains by 2023 or earlier have completed transition

NEW YORK, May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Open Wing Alliance (OWA), a global coalition of 95 animal protection organizations in 75 countries across six continents, today released a new report revealing that 89% of all corporate cage-free commitments with deadlines of 2023 or earlier have been fulfilled. Nearly 2,600 commitments have been made by food corporations around the world to remove cages from their egg supply chains. Of these, 1,199 food companies, including restaurants, retailers, and manufacturers, successfully completed their transition to cage-free facilities.

Egg-laying hens raised in battery cages in a typical factory farm environment. (Shutterstock)

This new data shows groundbreaking momentum within the global egg industry, driven by growing consumer pressure, farm animal legislation, and corporate commitments secured by negotiations and campaigns by the OWA. Eleven U.S. states have passed laws to ban the production and/or sale of eggs raised from hens in cages, and the European Parliament has voted to support a ban on cages. Numerous countries have addressed the cruelty of cages by banning them entirely, such as Austria, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and many other countries have enacted laws that will come into force in the coming years.

"With nearly every food company around the world pledging to remove cruel cages from their egg supply chains, it's clear that cage-free is the expectation—not the exception," says Carley Betts, Director of The Open Wing Alliance. "As consumer awareness grows around the world, policies and laws are also advancing to protect farm animals raised for food. All signs point to a cage-free future. We're confident that a global transition is achievable, especially as many of our corporate partners have already achieved their goals—some years ahead of their deadlines. We urge companies to continue collaborating to eradicate the suffering of chickens worldwide."

Many cage-free commitments made by over 1,000 food companies come due next year, as almost 40% of all policies were made with a 2025 deadline. Therefore, this will be a critical year for stakeholders to hold companies accountable for their promises. Companies are encouraged to maintain transparency by reporting global and regional percentages and/or incremental benchmarks.

Key findings:

Over 2,599 corporate cage-free policies have been secured—1,342 with deadlines of 2023 or earlier.
1,199 companies (89%) removed battery cages from their egg supply chains.
2% of companies with pledges aren't fully cage-free but are publicly reporting.
7% are not publicly reporting on their transition.
Major brands completed their cage-free transitions in 2023 (or years ahead of schedule):
- Hershey
- Woolworths
- Famous Brands
- Scandic Hotels
- Monolog Coffee
- Special Dog
- Azzuri Group
- McDonald's
- TGI Fridays
- The Cheesecake Factory
A complete transition to cage-free eggs has been seen across industry sectors:
- 394 restaurants
- 231 manufacturers
- 133 retailers
- 96 foodservice and caterers
- 73 hospitality companies
- 38 producers
- 16 distributors

Despite significant progress, approximately 4 billion hens are still confined in cages worldwide. Caged systems promote poor physical and mental health in hens, unable to even spread their wings or engage in natural behaviors critical to their well-being. To take action against this practice, visit EndCages.com and the Open Wing Alliance's Action App.

For more information about the Open Wing Alliance, please visit OpenWingAlliance.org. Follow along with the cage-free movement on X @GlobalCageFree.

About the Open Wing Alliance
Founded in 2016 by The Humane League, the Open Wing Alliance is a global coalition of 94 animal protection organizations in 75 countries across six continents. The OWA is changing the way the world's biggest companies treat animals and setting a new standard for corporate farm animal welfare policies locally—in every major market—and globally. Through shared knowledge, resources, and people power, the OWA is united around their goal to end the abuse of chickens worldwide.

About The Humane League
The Humane League is a global nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Since its founding in 2005, The Humane League has focused on effectively ending the worst abuses in factory farming, securing higher animal welfare policies from major retailers, foodservice providers, restaurants, food manufacturers, and hospitality leaders around the world, changing the lives of the billions of farm animals who suffer everyday on factory farms.

Media Contact:
Julia Wisner
[email protected]
973-722-4736

SOURCE The Open Wing Alliance