26 May 2022
2 minute read
Protestors demand an end to caged production in Asia
A coalition of leading Asian animal protection organizations hoisted signed banners outside McDonald’s locations in eight cities across Asia this Saturday. According to a press release from the Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan, the peaceful protest marks an escalation of their nine-month campaign to demand the company end its use of eggs produced in cages in Asia. Supporter-signed banners were delivered to McDonald’s staff at the conclusion of the event.
The protest, coordinated by members of the Open Wing Alliance, is the culmination of dozens of peaceful actions in Asia over the past three months. In Kuala Lumpur, activists held posters outside the country’s first McDonald’s in the city’s humming nightlife district. In Hanoi, activists turned heads as diners made their way to dinner. In Bangkok, a 20-meter commuter ferry emblazoned with caged hens shuttled commuters near McDonald’s local headquarters.
According to the press release, McDonald’s rivals KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut have already announced timelines to phase out their use of cage eggs in Asia, as have Shake Shack, Taco Bell, Tim Hortons, Krispy Kreme, Panda Express and others.
“McDonald’s is increasingly out of step with its competitors in failing to take concrete action to eliminate cage cruelty from its supply chain in Asia,” said Wichayapat Piromsan, Public Affairs Director for Southeast Asia at Sinergia Animal and coordinator of the regional campaign.
In its 2022 shareholder statement, McDonald’s claimed the company is using its “size and global reach” to improve the welfare of animals in its supply chain, going as far as to say its “ability to serve safe, quality food comes from animals that are cared for properly.”
Despite its public assurances, McDonald’s received an F grade for implementation in the latest Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare report and has dropped two tiers in the ranking since 2017.
In contrast to its cage-free policies in the United States, Canada, Latin America, South Africa and other markets, the company has failed to respond to calls to extend its commitment to Asian markets, Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan concluded.
