Krogerhas been targeted by animal rights activists for backing out of a 2016 pledge to only sell cage-free eggs by 2025.
While the Cincinnati-based supermarket giant still has a ways to go even before its revised goal of 70% cage-free by 2030, the retailer is not alone.
It turns out several of its peers made similar pledges and changed their minds too. “Cage-free” eggs are those “laid by hens that are able to roam vertically and horizontally in indoor houses … in a manner that promotes bird welfare,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Comparing Kroger and top retailers on cage-free eggs
So how do Kroger and other retailers compare? Here's a look according to their various sustainability reports:
- Amazon’s subsidiary Whole Foods Market only sells cage-free eggs.
- Costco notched 84.7% of its egg sales as cage-free in the U.S.
- Albertsons reported 75% of its eggs sold were cage-free.
- At Walmart's subsidiary Sam’s Club, 67.0% of all shell eggs sold in the U.S. are cage-free.
- Ahold-Delhaize (which owns Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Hannaford and Giant Food) reported 53% of its eggs sold were cage-free.
- Target reports more than half its eggs by unit volume are cage-free.
- 41% of all eggs sold in 2024 by Kroger were cage-free.
- Publix reported cage-free egg items “only make up a little more than one-third of our volume.”
- At Walmart, 30.4% of shell eggs sold at U.S. stores are cage-free.
What do retailers say about their broken cage-free promises?
In 2022, Kroger quietly scaled that goal back to 70% cage-free by 2030. But others also altered
their plans.
Walmart, the world’s largest grocer, also promisted to go cage-free in 2016.
“While we did not meet our 2025 aspiration for cage-free eggs to represent 100% of shell egg sales … we work to increase customer adoption over time,” the Arkansas-based juggernaut said in its latest sustainability report.
And as for Aldi? It promised in 2016 and lapsed since. Mass discounter Target also missed its mark.
“We will not achieve our goal to transition to a 100% cage-free shell egg supply chain by 2025 due to industry-wide challenges. … Despite this, ALDI remains committed to responsible sourcing and will continue to evolve our approach with the industry,” it said in a footnote in its 2024 sustainability report, which did not specify how much of its egg volume is cage-free. The report has not been updated.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Comparing Kroger vs. Walmart, Costco, Target others on cage-free eggs
