FAIR AND FOWL 2026 FINDS CAGE-FREE SOURCING IS NOW STANDARD PRACTICE AS CORPORATE HOLDOUTS DWINDLE

Most global companies have fulfilled their cage-free commitments or reported meaningful progress, while a shrinking number fall short on their commitments.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Today, the Open Wing Alliance (OWA), a global coalition of more than 80 animal protection organizations across six continents, releases the Fair and Fowl 2026 Cage-Free Egg Report. This annual industry progress report evaluates companies with global cage-free egg commitments across the hospitality, manufacturing, restaurant, foodservice, and retail sectors.

The findings come after 2025 marked the largest deadline year for corporate cage-free commitments in the history of the global food industry. Of the 171 global companies evaluated, 118 have either fulfilled their cage-free commitments or are making positive progress toward completing the transition away from cages. More than 2,800 companies worldwide have pledged to eliminate cages from their egg supply chains, and many of the world’s largest food companies have shown that the transition is achievable across complex global operations.

Many companies are not only fulfilling their commitments but doing so ahead of schedule. The Cheesecake Factory eliminated cages six years ahead of its deadline, Caffè Nero reached its goal ahead of its 2026 deadline, and Viking Cruises achieved full global compliance within a year of publishing its commitment. These examples demonstrate that transitioning complex global supply chains away from cages is achievable, and that companies taking decisive action are setting a standard for the rest of the industry.

As the overwhelming majority of companies have fulfilled their commitments or reported meaningful progress, those that continue to miss deadlines, stop reporting, or quietly remove their commitments are becoming increasingly isolated.

“The cage-free transition is no longer a question of whether it can be done. Companies operating across vastly different markets and supply chains have shown that it can,” said Elisa Bianco, Senior Global Corporate Relations Manager, The Humane League, founding member of the Open Wing Alliance. “The small number of companies still falling behind are increasingly the exception. They need to fulfill their commitments or provide a transparent roadmap for how they will remove the use of cruel cages in their supply chain.”

Spanning five major sectors and global markets, Fair and Fowl provides a cross-industry view of which companies have delivered on cage-free commitments and where progress has stalled.

The Fair and Fowl 2026 report also identifies a growing transparency gap. While most companies continue to publish detailed progress updates and roadmaps, others have allowed deadlines to pass without disclosing results, removed commitment timelines from public websites, or stopped reporting altogether.

2026 Sector Leaders

Recognized for transparency, accountability, and delivering on their public cage-free commitments:

Hospitality: Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Royal Caribbean Group
Foodservice: Compass Group
Manufacturers: Ferrero
Restaurants: Pizza Express, Bloomin Brands
Retailers: REWE Group

2026 Sector Laggards

These companies continue to fall behind their public cage-free commitments through missed deadlines, inadequate reporting, or a lack of transparency:

Hospitality: Norwegian Cruise Line, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Foodservice: LSG Group
Manufacturers: Unilever
Restaurants: Le Pain Quotidien
Retailers: Aldi Süd

The report concludes that companies that have fallen behind still have a clear path forward by publishing transparent cage-free roadmaps, reporting progress publicly, and using proven tools such as cage-free impact incentives where supply remains limited.

Why Cage-Free?

Around the world, billions of hens remain confined to cages so small they cannot fully spread their wings or perform many natural behaviors. Caged housing systems restrict movement and are associated with serious welfare problems. Cage-free systems allow hens greater freedom of movement and opportunities to engage in behaviors such as nesting, perching and dust bathing.

To view the full Fair and Fowl 2026 Global Cage-Free Egg Report, click here. For more information on the global cage-free movement and how you can take action, visit OpenWingAlliance.org.

About the Open Wing Alliance (OWA)

Founded in 2016 by The Humane League, the Open Wing Alliance is a global coalition of nearly 84
animal protection organizations in over 72 countries across six continents. The OWA is changing the
way the world’s biggest companies treat animals and setting a new standard for corporate farm
animal welfare policies locally—in every major market—and globally. Through shared knowledge,
resources, and people power, the OWA is united around their goal to end the abuse of chickens
worldwide.

Karen Hirsch
The Humane League
+1 678-469-8675
email us here

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