US- Amazon Fresh, the supermarket arm of Seattle-based e-commerce giant Amazon, has announced that its entire selection of national and private brand eggs in the U.S. are now cage-free.

Cage-free eggs indicate that hens are not kept in battery cages, but allowed to move about the egg production barn according to The Human League.

“Amazon Fresh made the decision to roll out cage-free commitment nationally as a response to animal welfare becoming an increasing priority to our customers and the industry,” John Farrell, chief merchant for Amazon Fresh.

Whole-shell and liquid eggs, both in-store and online, are now 100% cage free including from brands like Organic Valley, Vital Farms and Amazon’s private label Happy Belly.

The eggs are audited by one of four production systems to meet Whole Foods’ Animal Welfare Standards for Laying Hens. In Canada, all eggs at Whole Foods stores come from cage-free hens.

The switch to exclusively cage-free eggs, according to Amazon, sets Amazon Fresh apart from other national and traditional supermarket retailers.

In total, Amazon Fresh has over 40 locations across eight states and Washington, D.C.

Another supermarket, Kroger, has lately committed to a number of sustainability initiatives, such as switching to carbon-neutral, cage-free eggs.

Cage-free egg production has been steadily increasing alongside consumer demand.

According to a report published by The Human League Labs, around 23% of U.S. hens were raised in cage-free housing in 2020, up from just 3% in 2008.

Sprouts Farmers Market is committed to sourcing all of its eggs from cage-free, organic, or free-range farms.

Phoenix-based Sprouts announced the new egg sourcing policy earlier this year and the measure applies to all shell and liquid eggs sold at the natural and organic retailer’s stores.

Another supermarket, Kroger, has lately committed to a number of sustainability initiatives, such as switching to carbon-neutral, cage-free eggs.

According to a recent ESG report from the supermarket chain, its Simple Truth label will work with Kipster Farms to introduce the eggs in a few shops by the beginning of 2023.

One of the main initiatives included in the supermarket’s ESG progress report was modernizing packaging to make it more recyclable, compostable, or reusable.

Other initiatives included more environmentally friendly product sourcing methods and growing the variety of plant-based foods.

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