The announcement followed shocking investigations into its Asian egg suppliers by animal protection organization Lever Foundation. The NGO praised Tesco for following other leading European retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Carrefour, in adopting a cage-free egg policy for Asia.

“We applaud Tesco’s leadership on this important animal welfare and food safety issue,” said Katherine Ma, Program Manager for Lever Foundation. “The vast majority of leading retailers across Europe, North America, and South America have pledged to sell only cage-free eggs; we commend Tesco for expanding its cage-free egg policy to cover all Tesco stores in Asia.”

Tesco is the largest retailer in Thailand and a leading retailer in Malaysia, with nearly 2,000 supermarket and convenience stores in the region. In 2016 the company announced a pledge to be entirely cage-free in the UK by 2025, and later expanded that pledge to the rest of its European operations.

“By 2028, every chicken egg we sell at Tesco Lotus will come from cage-free hens” said Mr. Kris Comerford, Product Director for Tesco Lotus, the brand name for Tesco’s business in Thailand. “By taking the lead, we hope to improve ethical sourcing standards including animal welfare practices in Thailand, so that customers will have access to sustainable products at affordable prices.”

In addition to retailers that have committed to going cage-free in Asia, dozens of other leading food companies - including Starbucks, Subway, Nestle, Kraft, Unilever and others - have made similar pledges.

Lever Foundation is a non-profit organization working to protect farm animals in Asia.