Almost a decade ago, Subway promised animal rights activists it would convert to ‘cage-free’ egg sourcing. But it appears little has been done on that front. Now, The Humane League is holding Subway to account over its ‘cage-free’ commitment…
Battery (caged) laying hens: No question, it’s an animal rights atrocity…
Subway appears to have ‘stalled’ in its commitment to switch over to ‘100 percent cage-free eggs’ by the end of this year. And at least one animal rights organization is standing up, demanding the sand-wich chain make good on that promise.
“Subway made a promise to its customers, its franchisees, and to the nearly 300,000 egg-laying hens in its supply chain,” said Anna Peer, Senior Campaigns Lead for The Humane League. “That promise is now in jeopardy.”
Five-year hiatus?
According to the most recent report from Subway on the issue, in 2020, only 27 percent of its North American egg supply was coming from cage-free hens.
But the current news release from The Humane League reminds us, “Battery cages, still used through-out Subway’s supply chain, are linked to extreme animal suffering and public health threats.”
Enter, COVID…
Of course, some major supply-chain challenges – not the least of which included the COVID Crisis – have intervened in Subway’s universe since 2020.
The chain has also been acquired by a holding company that specializes in managing restaurant assets since then. The chain’s new masters’ priorities might not include a cage-free commitment.
And the best information we’ve been able to get our hands on suggests that other major Fast Food brands such as McDonald’s and KFC are still struggling to complete their promised conversions to cage-free eggs.
Nevertheless…
The Humane League has decided to make an example of Subway. And in so doing, has launched a ‘campaign’ website. Spotlighting Subway as the arch villain and worst offender behind the whole cage-free ‘scandal’.
My take
First… It’s not really fair to grill Subway under the cage-free spotlight when other players have not fulfilled their promises on the issue. Or refused to reveal how far along they are in doing so.
Second… Fast Food brands such as McDonald’s – which serve breakfast – use hundreds or hundreds of thousands of times more eggs than Subway. Wouldn’t it be more constructive and transparent to focus on where their cage-free commitments stand? Consider how much greater their impact on the situation has been?
Third… Let’s not forget the chaos into which the whole egg-producing industry has been thrown by the recent and ongoing avian flu crisis.
For any number of reasons this may not be the fairest or most appropriate time to throw any spot-light on any aspect of the egg business…
~ Maggie J.