Walmart Pledges To Go Cage-Free By 2025

Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club U.S. have officially announced their goal to transition to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply chain by 2025, representing the company's commitment "to continuously improving the company's food supply chain while maintaining the affordable prices that customers expect," according to a release.

"Our customers and associates count on Walmart and Sam's Club to deliver on affordability and quality, while at the same time offering transparency into how their food is grown and raised," said Kathleen McLaughlin, chief sustainability officer at Walmart. "Our commitment to transition to a cage-free egg supply chain recognizes that expectation and represents another step we are taking to improve transparency for food we sell in our U.S. stores and clubs."

The commitment to cage-free brings Walmart closer to its goal of achieving the 'Five Freedoms' of animal welfare for its supply chain. These freedoms are freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.

Walmart's cage-free goal is based on available supply, affordability, and customer demand. It requires 100 percent of shell egg suppliers be certified and fully compliant with United Egg Producers (UEP) Animal Husbandry Guidelines. Walmart will monitor compliance via a third party on an annual basis.

Walmart joins a multitude of companies that have already pledged to go cage-free, including Costco, Trader Joe's, Chick-fil-A, Denny's, Kroger, and Taco Bell.