On the morning of November 17th, Mercy For Animals joined forces with compassionate advocates and State Representative Dylan Pugh at Hannaford headquarters in Scarborough, Maine. Their goal? To deliver thousands of petitions urging Hannaford Supermarkets to be transparent and go cage-free once and for all.
The petition drop was followed by an eye-catching demonstration and mobile billboard that circled the headquarters.
Hannaford’s Broken Promise
In 2016, Hannaford Supermarkets, a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize—the fourth-largest grocery retailer in the U.S.—pledged to transition to 100% cage-free eggs by 2025. In a horrifying turn of events for the chickens trapped in the company’s supply chain, Hannaford shamelessly announced that, rather than keeping their commitment, they would extend the deadline by seven years. Trapped in cages, hens endure excruciating physical pain and lasting injuries. This suffering is coupled with the deep psychological anguish of being denied instinctual behaviors, such as foraging, dust-bathing, and nesting.
By breaking their promise, Hannaford callously condemns millions of hens to this extreme form of suffering for another seven years, an unacceptable ethical failure.
6000+ Voices Demanding Change
Hannaford’s decision to delay their cage-free pledge doesn’t just impact animals; it also disregards the values of consumers nationwide, who overwhelmingly oppose cages for hens. As such, Mercy For Animals has collected support from over 6,000 consumers across the United States, including thousands from dedicated advocates and hundreds from Hannaford’s own backyard in Maine.
The Outcome
While Hannaford’s reception staff said they’d hand the petition signatures to Hannaford leadership, they refused to let us speak directly to the company’s executive team. Acknowledging consumer voices is one thing, but taking action and publicly sharing their plans for follow-through is another. Hannaford continues to prioritize profit over animal welfare and consumer demand. The good news is that now more than ever, the company is feeling the pressure to act. We mustn’t let Hannaford look away.
Add Your Voice
The fight for chickens is not yet over. Hannaford has the resources and responsibility to end this cruelty, and together we must continue to hold them accountable to do better for animals and consumers. Caged birds still need you to add your voice, whether you can write emails to Hannaford leadership or take a few moments to comment on the company’s social media.
Take action at HannafordHarms.com and urge Hannaford to transparently share their detailed plans to ban cages once and for all!
