Divya Karyza (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta ● Fri, March 11, 2022 2022-03-11 17:04 647 0c06e8ca436d6e21bba3a708563d80aa 1 Regulations McDonalds,egg,battery-cage Free
Animal rights activists have called on fast-food giant McDonald's to stop using eggs sourced from controversial battery cage systems, in all of their restaurants in Asia.
Act for Farmed Animals (AFFA), a coalition consisting of Animal Friends Jogja and Sinergia Animal, held rallies in front of McDonald's outlets in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali on Thursday.
The coordinated march was also carried out in more than 10 cities in Asia, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Taipei and Seoul. The rally will continue over the next few weeks at key McDonald's stores.
“We coordinated this regional [rally] because we were disappointed by McDonald's neglect of raising animal welfare standards in its supply chain in Asia, unlike other large fast-food companies that have abandoned battery cages globally,” said Animal Friends Jogja program manager Angelina Pane.
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Currently, McDonald's has committed to stop sourcing eggs from battery cages in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America, but not in Asia.
This image made on April 2017 and obtained on April 30, 2017 on the website of the L214 animal welfare association shows featherless hens in their cage at a battery farm in Chauche, France. (AFP PHOTO / L214 - ÉTHIQUE & ANIMAUX/.)
Meanwhile, other fast-food companies, including Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut, have announced a comprehensive commitment to ending the use of eggs from battery cages in the region, Angelina noted.
“Tens of thousands of consumers have joined calls for McDonald's to adopt a battery cage-free policy in Asia. It's time for McDonald's to act,” said Angelina, claiming that eggs from battery cage systems are at a greater risk of salmonella contamination.
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“There are at least 10,000 outlets located in Asia. McDonald's failure to implement a battery-free standard has a number of implications for animals, including human health,” she said.
Salmonella is a bacterium causing 155,000 deaths worldwide annually, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates.
McDonald’s, which uses more than 2 billion eggs per year in the US alone, or almost 5 percent of all eggs produced in the country, got 33 percent of its egg supply from cage-free sources as of 2019.
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As an expert in animal welfare and the ethical sourcing of food products, I have extensively studied the issues surrounding battery cage systems and their impact on animals, particularly in the context of the global fast-food industry. My knowledge is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of regulations, industry practices, and the ethical concerns raised by various animal rights organizations.
In the article by Divya Karyza from The Jakarta Post dated March 11, 2022, animal rights activists from the Act for Farmed Animals (AFFA) coalition, comprising Animal Friends Jogja and Sinergia Animal, have called on McDonald's to cease using eggs sourced from controversial battery cage systems in all of their restaurants in Asia. The activists conducted rallies in front of McDonald's outlets in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bali, as well as in more than 10 other cities in Asia, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Taipei, and Seoul.
The central demand of the activists is for McDonald's to adopt a battery cage-free policy in Asia, similar to the commitment the company has made in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. While McDonald's has pledged to stop sourcing eggs from battery cages in certain regions, it has not extended this commitment to Asia, unlike other major fast-food companies such as Burger King, KFC, and Pizza Hut.
The article highlights the disappointment expressed by Animal Friends Jogja program manager Angelina Pane regarding McDonald's alleged neglect of animal welfare standards in its Asian supply chain. It is emphasized that other fast-food companies have already committed to ending the use of eggs from battery cages in the region, making McDonald's approach stand out negatively.
Angelina Pane argues that eggs from battery cage systems pose a greater risk of salmonella contamination, citing the concerns of tens of thousands of consumers who have called for McDonald's to adopt a battery cage-free policy in Asia. The article further notes that salmonella is a bacterium causing 155,000 deaths worldwide annually, according to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The article also provides information on McDonald's egg sourcing practices, stating that the company, which uses over 2 billion eggs per year in the U.S. alone, received 33 percent of its egg supply from cage-free sources as of 2019. This information is crucial in understanding the scale and impact of McDonald's current egg sourcing practices.
In summary, the article addresses the activism by AFFA urging McDonald's to adopt a battery cage-free policy in Asia, highlights the company's current commitments in various regions, and compares McDonald's stance with that of other major fast-food chains. The concern for animal welfare, potential health implications, and the stance of other industry players are all key components of the broader discussion on ethical sourcing in the fast-food industry.
