The supermarket chain Kroger says 15 percent of the eggs it sold in 2015 were cage-free. “As our customer base has been moving to cage-free at an increasing rate, Kroger’s goal is to transition to a 100% cage-free egg supply chain by 2025,” the grocer said in an announcement.
By one measure, Kroger is the largest U.S. supermarket chain. But Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, has the largest volume in U.S. grocery shares, says Market Realist, which ranked Kroger second. Kroger owns Harris-Teeter, Ralphs, City Market and Dillons.
The Humane Society of the United States, a leading opponent of “battery” cages for laying hens, said “the movement to free hens from cages has reached its tipping point. This week alone, Kroger competitors Albertson’s — the country’s second-largest grocery chain — and Delhaize — another major grocery chain the operates the Hannaford and Food Lion chains — also announced 100% cage-free policies.”