You did it! Because of your relentless dedication, retail giant Ahold Delhaize—the parent company of grocery stores like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford—is finally being held accountable.
For nearly a decade, Ahold Delhaize—the fourth-largest grocer in the United States—promised to ban cages, yet provided no clear plan to get there. Back in 2016, they pledged to be 100% cage-free by 2025. But as that deadline approached, the company pushed it back to 2032 and failed to share a plan to eliminate cages.
Without a plan, a delayed promise could have meant an eternity of suffering in cramped wire cages for millions of hens in the company’s supply chain. So, you took action.
Your Power in Action
Over the past year, you raised your voice to ensure Ahold Delhaize could not ignore the gap between their marketing and their reality. From countless emails and phone calls to executives, to eye-catching tactics, together, we made it impossible for the company to ignore the demand for concrete action and transparency. You joined demonstrations, participated in social-media actions, and delivered thousands of petition signatures directly to Hannaford headquarters. And these efforts caught the media’s attention, further amplifying the call for accountability.
The Win: A Roadmap to Accountability
Today, the pressure has finally paid off. Because of your voices, Ahold Delhaize has officially moved from vague promises to the essential framework required to eradicate cages. The company has agreed to transparency-driven measures that turn its cage-free goal into a non-negotiable reality.
Ahold Delhaize’s new detailed roadmap—the first of its kind from a retail giant of this scale—holds the company accountable to two-year benchmarks and annual progress reporting toward eliminating cages. Additionally, before the end of 2026, consumers will see this progress in action across all 2,000+ stores with clear cage-free labels that make it easy for millions of shoppers to vote with their wallets. You didn’t just move them to make a promise to ban cages—you drove them to ensure they’re keeping it.
This Historic Progress Belongs to You
Together, we have turned Ahold Delhaize’s goals into an immediate, measurable mandate. Eventually, the company’s actions will ensure that millions of hens are uncaged, forever.
Mercy For Animals recognizes the efforts of the many organizations across the movement in the United States and globally that made this progress possible. Our collective success proves that when we stand together, we can change the lives of animals trapped in factory farming.
Your immediate action is critical to maintaining this momentum. Join the team that makes wins like this possible by signing up for our Hen Heroes list of action takers. We won’t stop until every cage is empty.
Discussion about this post