Mercy For Animals, in partnership with a coalition of animal protection organizations, released the inaugural International Cage-Free Equity Index. The report assesses 39 well-known restaurants and manufacturers on the geographic scope and international equity of their cage-free egg commitments. The report is available here.
Companies include PepsiCo, Burger King, and Subway. Unilever and Shake Shack are among the top performers, while Mars, Outback Steakhouse, and McDonald’s rank poorly.
“Concerns about animal welfare and food safety do not end at the borders of the U.S. and European Union,” said Zoë Sigle, global corporate engagement manager at Mercy For Animals. “Excluding consumers and animals in the global South from corporate social responsibility is inequitable and unacceptable. We call on corporations with cage-free egg commitments in the U.S. and EU to expand their commitments globally.”
Virtually every major U.S. and European food company has pledged to end the use of cages in their U.S. and European egg supply chains-to improve not only hen welfare but food safety, as hens in cages have higher risk of Salmonella infection.
But not all international food companies have moved to eradicate cages globally. While commitments have driven industry-wide shifts away from cages in the U.S. (32% of hens are cage-free) and EU (52% of hens are cage-free), the vast majority of hens in many global South countries are caged. For example, in Brazil, 95% of laying hens are caged; in China, 97%; in Mexico, 99.5%; and in India, 100%.
This report serves to inform consumers about how companies prioritize international equity regarding animal welfare. Companies are urged to publish meaningful, time-bound cage-free policies for their global supply chains and report progress toward their commitments.
