Abby Jade Sarfas
Battery cages are officially on their way out. The Open Wing Alliance’s latest report finds the vast majority of companies with 2022 cage-free pledges have completed their transitions—moving away from the intensive confinement of hens around the globe.
No hen deserves to spend her life in a cage. And, thanks to passionate animal advocates around the globe, we’re getting closer to a world where cruel battery cages are a thing of the past. The Open Wing Alliance just released their third annual global cage-free fulfillment report, and their findings confirm what we already knew: The future is cage-free.
For decades, changemakers around the world have been pouring immense energy and effort into ending one of the worst forms of cruelty to chickens in our food system: battery cages. Confined to these tiny cages, which only afford each animal a space the size of a sheet of paper, egg-laying hens are some of the most abused animals in the world. But the good news is, advocates’ efforts are working. Today, the Open Wing Alliance released their annual report on cage-free progress around the globe, and the results show remarkable advancements in the fight to protect hens from this outdated, intensive form of confinement.
The Open Wing Alliance (OWA) is a global coalition of more than 95 animal protection organizations across 70+ countries. The coalition is named in honor of its shared goal: freeing hens from cruel battery cages, which don’t even allow the animals to spread their wings. The OWA’s latest progress report found that the vast majority of companies have succeeded in fulfilling their 2022 cage-free commitments—meaning millions of hens will be spared from this extreme cruelty.
What is the OWA Global Cage-Free Fulfillment Report?
From PepsiCo to Dunkin’, thousands of the world’s most powerful companies have already committed to phasing out battery cages for egg-laying hens. But the work doesn’t end with cage-free pledges—in fact, pledges are just the start. To drive real, tangible change for animals, it’s essential that these companies actually follow through. And our movement is making sure animal abusers are staying accountable to their promises.
That’s where the Open Wing Alliance comes in, meticulously tracking the number of companies that are fulfilling their commitments to end cages, those that are reporting progress, and those that are regrettably falling behind. The OWA’s annual global cage-free fulfillment report, which tracks companies’ progress toward ending the intensive confinement of hens around the globe, is a powerful indicator of the status (and success!) of the cage-free movement.
“Consumers are demanding better for hens, and this report proves that the vast majority of companies are listening. Reporting on cage-free progress has become the norm, not the exception.” - Hannah Surowinski, Global Corporate Relations Manager
Report findings: Cage-free progress by the numbers
This year’s report tracked the companies that had pledged to go cage-free by 2022. Not only does the report outline progress from thousands of companies; it also indicates improvements across entire sectors of the food industry. These breakthroughs mean that millions of hens will be spared from life in a cage—and will finally be able to stretch their wings, walk on solid ground, and lay their eggs in a nest.
Here are some of the OWA’s key findings:
- Nearly 2,500 corporate cage-free welfare policies, which protect hens from the most intensive forms of confinement, have been secured around the world.
- 1,157 companies have successfully transitioned away from using battery cages, resulting in meaningful change for millions of animals.
- 89% of all corporate cage-free commitments with a 2022 deadline (meaning companies promised to completely phase out battery cages by 2022 or earlier) have been fulfilled.
- Just 4% of companies that pledged to be cage-free by 2022 are not yet fully cage-free (though they are publicly reporting on their progress), while only 7% are not yet publicly reporting on the status of their transition.
- We’ve seen a complete transition to cage-free systems across industry sectors: 509 restaurants, 269 manufacturers, 174 retailers, 118 foodservice and caterers, 95 hospitality companies, 53 producers, and 19 distributors
What does this report mean for the cage-free movement?
For the small percentage of companies that still aren’t following through on their promises, the report spells out some clear expectations: At this point, fulfilling cage-free pledges and reporting progress for animals is the norm, not the exception. Companies that aren’t keeping up with their promises can expect to feel even greater pressure from the public in the coming months and years. It’s clear that consumers expect cage-free at this point—and not only are industry laggards behind the times, but they’ll continue to lose out to their competitors.
By pressuring the companies profiting off animal abuse, advocates like you are showing corporations that they can’t get away with extreme animal cruelty—and that they will be held accountable for their promises. With every petition signature, every phone call, and every donation, changemakers like you are building the more compassionate world chickens deserve. This report presents heartening news for our movement—underscoring the true power of collective compassionate action. Together, we’re moving toward our vision of a world where every hen has the space to spread her wings.
How can I help?
Even with this incredible progress, some companies are still failing to report on their progress towards ending cages. And that’s unacceptable. If remaining companies would simply follow through on their cage-free pledges, we could spare millions of hens from intensive confinement. Will you join thousands of activists around the world in demanding that corporations do better for hens?
