Publix progresses toward a cage-free future
Publix is the country’s fifth-largest grocery chain, and this marks the last of the top 25 grocery companies to announce a cage-free timeline. Photo by David Paul Morris/For The HSUS
After a months-long Humane Society of the United States campaign— involving full-page newspaper ads, television commercials, dedicated social media efforts promoting our CagedForPublix website, and more—Publix has just announced a timeline for going 100 percent cage-free.
Publix is the country’s fifth-largest grocery chain, and this marks the last of the top 25 grocery companies to announce a cage-free timeline. It represents what could be a final nail in the coffin for the long era of cage confinement of hens.
This movement has been an unstoppable force. It was less than a year ago when McDonald’s announced that it will eliminate eggs from caged chickens. A cascade of announcements followed, with every big brand, from Walmart to Costco, Denny’s to IHOP, Kraft Heinz to Nestle, and virtually every other major egg buyer, committing to a cage-free future.
But not Publix—until today.
Congratulations to our staff and all of The HSUS members who took action to move Publix in the right direction. And of course, other groups also pushed Publix toward this announcement, including Compassion in World Farming, Mercy for Animals, The Humane League, and Change.org.
And if this wasn’t big enough, in another major announcement, Hillandale Farms also just committed to going 100 percent cage-free for all its operations, with the company to move four million birds into cage-free environments within a year’s time (as much as 20 percent of total production for the company, and it will build from there). Hillandale is a major supplier into Massachusetts (where we’re waging a pathbreaking ballot measure to eliminate the sale of products coming from cruelly-confined farm animals), and was the subject of a recent HSUS undercover investigation.
This caps a big week for farm animals, with the Obama administration finalizing a rule to ban the slaughter of downer veal calves, and new federal legislation introduced in Congress to stop abuses of meat and egg industry checkoff programs. While our fight continues for farm animals—and we certainly have a long way to go—today, let’s take a moment to celebrate the progress we’ve made.
THANKS THANKS THANKS PUBLIX, THANKS!!!!
Go cage free! Stop animal abuse!
I support Publix not torturing chickens anymore and I’m pleased to hear that there’s some progress. What is it that I can do – I did not get a phone number to call. I spend hundreds of dollars a month at Publix and was prepared to leave if they didn’t make a change.
Most excellent news indeed!! Bravo to you for your compassion and steadfastness on behalf of our fellow sentient beings who deserve our upmost respect and protection. ANIMAL LIVES MATTER!!!!
I never got to see what the exact date that Publix has announced they will grow completely cage free can someone please tell me? I personally have made numerous calls to the publics number and I have called The Publix where I shop: Hopefully that date will be announcing it will be very very soon, God willing!
This is great! I do have a question tho… “Cage-free” doesn’t equate to free-range. How will HSUS combat the next issue which is hens being packed so tightly into barn facilities that they still can’t move and are wallowing in their own feces? Baby steps, I know, but please start planning for that. A battle has been won but we are still at war for animal liberation.
I think all of the individuals that made a call to Publix should also be acknowledged. Every day consumers who took action. Making calls and signing petitions. Good news for everyone!
Hey Publix, were you the last to finally decide that is was time to do your job about the hens…YAY!!!!!
Cage free is wonderful!
Limited amt. of chix per square ft. on free range
I wish we had a huge choice here–but we don’t I Do know that I will not buy Tyson and try to buy organic as I assume the treatment is better.
Long. Over due. Humane treatment for every living creature A right not a privilege
Ten years? They need to make the change sooner than that.
Publix website: “100 percent cage free by 2026”
TEN freaking years to go 100% cage free? Publix is the LAST chain to do so, so it’s not like they have to re-invent the wheel.
Please fight for free range. Cage free is not enough
We spend hundreds of dollars every month at publix and if they don’t make changes I will stop shopping there!!!