Costco Wholesale—the third-largest retailer in the U.S.—has
just committed to phasing cruel battery cages out of its entire egg supply
chain. Currently, more than 90 percent of egg-laying hens in the U.S. spend
almost their entire lives crammed into filthy wire battery cages. These
enclosures are so small the birds can’t even fully spread their wings. Costco’s
decision follows similar commitments by McDonald’s,
Nestlé,
and nearly 100 other major restaurants and foodservice providers.
“Costco
is committed to going cagefree for its egg procurement, the company announced on its
website. “We
are working with our suppliers toward a complete and sustainable transition to
a cagefree
supply chain.
Following undercover investigations by Mercy For Animals
into Costco meat suppliers, the company committed to ending the use of gestation
crates for pigs and veal
crates for baby calves. This newest decision to extend its cage-free
policies to egg-laying hens wouldn’t have been possible without the concerted
efforts of animal activists who tirelessly campaigned across the country.
Many
consider battery cage confinement one of the cruelest factory farming practices
in the world. MFA’s eight undercover
investigations
at egg factory farms across North America reveal why. In addition to hens
packed into tiny cages, MFA’s hidden-camera footage shows severely sick and
injured birds left to slowly suffer and die without proper veterinary care, and
decaying dead animals in cages with live birds still laying eggs for human
consumption.
While
cage-free doesn’t mean cruelty free, Costco’s commitment to eliminating battery
cages from its supply chain will alleviate much of the suffering egg-laying
hens are forced to endure. It’s high time the rest of the food industry,
including Tim Hortons and Wendy’s, acknowledged that cramming these sensitive
and intelligent birds into cages barely larger than their bodies is cruel and
has no place in a civilized society.