Campaigners demand action from Marriott and Ahold Delhaize in back-to-back London demonstrations
Update
Ahold Delhaize has committed to a ban on cages – see more here
The first protest began outside the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, where Animal Equality activists gathered to hold the international hotel chain to account on its global cage-free commitment.
In 2018, Marriott publicly pledged to eliminate sourcing eggs from caged hens by 2025 but with the deadline now just months away it’s unclear what progress, if any, has been made. Global pressure is mounting on the company to deliver its promise, and Animal Equality is demanding transparency and progress across the international market.
Placards reading “Marriott, you made a vow – keep your promise, do it now!” were held high, as campaigners chanted and engaged with the public about the suffering of hens still confined in wire cages so small they can’t even spread their wings.
We handed in a letter, outlining the importance of public reporting and meeting cage-free commitments, but were informed that managers were “too busy” to meet with us for a few minutes. Being too busy to care about animals confined in cages does not reflect well on any company.
Having made our demands loud and clear, Animal Equality campaigners then moved to Oxford Street’s Pandora jewellery store near Marble Arch. We urged Pandora’s non-executive director, Jan Zijderveld, to use his influence as a board member within global conglomerate Ahold Delhaize to eliminate the use of cages for mother pigs and hens in its supply chain. Ahold Delhaize promised over a decade ago that it would stop profiting from this extreme cruelty, but has repeatedly broken its pledge ever since.
We sent a clear message: “Silence is complicity, and Jan must be held accountable”, calling on Zijderveld to take responsibility and use his sway to ensure Ahold Delhaize delivers its promise. Other Animal Equality protests targeting the company’s shareholders have been held in the US, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
Companies like Marriott and Ahold Delhaize made public pledges to end cruel cages but neither has so far delivered, choosing profit over progress. Time is running out – and millions of farmed animals are still suffering.
We have one simple request and that’s for these corporations to end cages now. Further delays are a betrayal of animals and consumer trust. The world is watching and we will not be silenced.
– Abigail Penny, Animal Equality UK’s Executive Director.
Beyond the cage: a system built on suffering
While these companies delay reform, experts and advocates point to a solution available right now: plant-based eating.
Cages are just one of many forms of factory farming cruelty. But plant-based foods offer a hopeful path – one that spares animals from a lifetime of suffering and challenges the system.
What’s next?
Become an Animal Protector today – join us in holding companies accountable, both through in-person actions and digital activism. Sign up to receive updates and e-newsletters, containing news, appeals and actions that you can take to help animals – including information about our upcoming demos.
Share our updates on social media by tagging @marriottintl, @AholdDelhaize and @PANDORA_Corp and politely letting their boards know what you think.
Defend hens and chicks
Each chicken has less than the space of a single sheet of A4 paper to live in on a typical UK egg farm. You can save chickens from a life of misery by replacing eggs in your meals with plant-based alternatives.
