Health solution company CVS Health has reduced the length of its 100% cage-free pledge by two years.
CVS’s original goal was to provide 100% cage-free eggs in all 9,900 of its locations by January 2025. Due to the changes in cage-free egg availability and state mandates, the company announced plans to change its deadline.
“In the last couple of years, as the supply chain and offering of these eggs has increased and consumer choice has evolved, we made the decision to accelerate that (2025) goal. Our biggest priority is to ensure continued access to healthy foods at an affordable price,” stated the company’s 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance report.
“We are currently working with our suppliers to expand our selection of cage-free and free-range eggs in all our stores with a goal to achieve our goal of 100% cage-free eggs by the end of 2022.”
Other pledge changes
While dozens of companies have committed to sourcing cage-free eggs by a specific date, a report from the Humane League called out several major foodservice chains for not yet committing to transition. However, other companies are going as far as expanding the extent of their cage free pledges and reducing deadlines, as has CVS Health.
In March 2022, The Cheesecake Factory announced it is also working to source 100% cage-free eggs by the end of 2022 in its bakery sector, which accounts for the bulk of the company’s egg usage. Its original target was 2025.
In Fall 2021, Yum! Brands Inc. changed its cage-free egg future purchase commitment twice to include expansions. In August, the company announced an expansion that doubled the number of restaurants sourcing cage-free eggs by 2026. In September, it pledged to transition to 100% cage-free eggs across at least 25,000 restaurants by 2026.
In June 2021, Conagra announced it would be beating its original 100% cage-free goal by one year. Its original deadline was 2025, its new deadline is 2024.
