Animal Equality Activists Demand Action Against Cages Outside Dutch Embassies Worldwide
It’s been over a decade since global food conglomerate and one of the largest food providers in the the world – Ahold Delhaize – made its commitment to end the use of cages in its supply chain, yet it remains unclear what progress has been made during those 10 long years. Millions of birds continue to suffer a life of misery behind bars every year to supply Ahold Delhaize, crammed so tightly together they’re unable to spread their wings and mother pigs so restricted they can’t even turn around.
This is unacceptable, but despite widespread attention – with activists also on the ground in the Netherlands relentlessly protesting for the last seven weeks outside its headquarters – the company has failed to respond and offered no roadmap to fulfilling its 2025 target.
Instead, it has quietly pushed the goal back seven more years to 2032!
Ahold Delhaize holds the honorary Dutch title “Koninklijke” (“Royal”), a distinction that supposedly comes with prestige and responsibility. Whilst it may live up to that at home by banning cages in its Dutch supply chain, it fails to apply the same rules abroad.
So, we used our voices to call on the Dutch Embassy to hold Ahold Delhaize accountable for its broken promise on animal welfare, urging them to uphold its royal values of honesty, integrity, and social responsibility on a global scale.
Consumers increasingly expect major retailers to honour their commitments and this failure to meet these expectations risks undermining both brand integrity and public trust. While, of course, cage-free doesn’t mean cruelty free, this is nonetheless an important step in getting us closer to the world we all envisage for animals.
As Ahold Delhaize delays reform, experts and advocates point to a solution available right now: eating plant-based. This solution is simple and spares animals from needless pain, while challenging the system behind their suffering.
To find out more about how you can get involved with our next actions, sign up to be an Animal Protector today.
protect chickens
Chickens are among the most abused land animals on the planet. But you hold the power to change this! Choose plant-based to protect chickens from a life of suffering.
