Published 3/2/2016

Delhaize America, owner of supermarket chains Food Lion and Hannaford, announced today they will work with suppliers to reach a 100% cage-free shelled egg commitment by 2025 or sooner based on available supply, affordability, and customer demand.

In their announcement, Delhaize cited consulting with Compassion in World Farming and other animal welfare groups on issues in their supply chain. Compassion USA Director Leah Garces says, "We wholeheartedly applaud Delhaize America for taking these steps today to improve the lives of laying hens. We have partnered with Delhaize America during the past two years to consult on a number of animal welfare issues and can attest to the company's firm commitment to continuous improvement within its supply chain."

If 2015 was the year of the cage-free restaurant, 2016 is already proving to be the year of the cage-free grocer. In just the past few weeks, food retail giants such as Trader Joe’s, Target, Stop & Shop, and Safeway have made commitments to phase out the sale of eggs from caged hens. 

"Delhaize America supports continuous improvement in animal welfare practices through its comprehensive approach to sustainability," said JJ Fleeman, Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Delhaize America. "Today's cage-free egg announcement is another step that we are taking to ensure the humane treatment of animals while also reinforcing a number of strong sustainability practices we have implemented across our organization."

Compassion in World Farming congratulates Delhaize America and others for paving the way towards a cage-free future.

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