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The 2023 Eggsposé

Empty promises won’t empty cages

In 2023, we called upon 21 companies to break their silence and answer to their cage-free commitments. While thousands of brands globally have already fulfilled their pledge to stop confining hens in cruel battery cages, these companies were still profiting from promises to end animal cruelty—with no public signs that they've stopped. Many garnered positive media coverage and public acclaim surrounding their initial commitments, but were failing to publicly stick to their word by reporting cage-free commitment progress.

Every year that goes by, hundreds of millions of hens live and die in cages the size of a filing cabinet.

These cages are so small they can’t stand up straight or spread their wings. Day in and day out, they live without sunlight, fresh air, or room to walk around.

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Over the past decade, nearly every major US food company promised to phase out inhumane battery cages from their egg supply chains.



But not everyone has lived up to that promise.

Holding these companies accountable

Profiting from broken promises and animal suffering is unacceptable, and the time for transparency is now. We released the Eggsposé to compel these companies to publicly keep their word and end this cruelty.

Eggsposé Target Logos

*According to the USDA and industry media outlets: NCBI, Winsight Grocery Business, Progressive Grocer; Allegiance committed to go cage-free by 2022, but Allegiance disputes having made any commitment to go cage-free.

Why cage-free?

When egg-laying hens are housed in cages, they suffer immensely.

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Confinement

Confined to small, barren wire cages the size of a filing cabinet drawer and packed with other chickens, these birds are unable to extend their wings or stand with their heads raised and each have floor space only the size of an iPad.

Photo: Andrew Skowron • Open Cages

Want to learn more?

To learn about the companies who are failing to report progress on their cage-free commitments, read the full report.

For more information on the industry-wide shift to cage-free eggs, see our cage-free primer.