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Wal-Mart, the largest grocer in the United States with control
of a quarter of the market, said it would require that egg
suppliers adopt an industry standard for treatment of hens by
2025 and have their compliance monitored by a third party.
The new guidelines will apply to the discount retailer's more
than 5,000 stores in the United States, including its Sam's Club
warehouse chain.
Wal-Mart had flagged that it planned to switch to cage-free eggs
in May when it announced that it would push its suppliers to
adhere to the "five principles" of animal welfare, a set of
guidelines that includes ensuring animals are not starved, have
sufficient space to move, and do not suffer mental distress.
Tuesday's announcement makes Wal-Mart the latest retailer to put
a firm timetable on the change, joining the likes of McDonald's
Corp <MCD.N>, which set a deadline of 2025, and Burger King,
which has committed to going 100 percent cage-free for its eggs
by 2017.
The Humane Society predicted Wal-Mart's move would effectively
mark the end of the use of cramped cages, citing the retailer's
size and purchasing power.
"This announcement will likely benefit more animals than any
other corporate announcement in the history of the animal
protection movement," the organization said in a statement.
Wal-Mart said it has offered some cage-free eggs in its stores
since 2001.
The move will likely add to pressure on the egg industry, which
is facing a costly transition to a cage-free environment.
Only six percent of U.S. hens, or about 18 million birds, are
currently raised without cages, according to a recent estimate
by trade group United Egg Producers.
(Reporting by Ramkumar Iyer in Bengaluru and Nathan Layne in
Chicago; Editing by Dan Grebler and Chris Reese)
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