AFRICA – Majid Al Futtaim, the exclusive franchisee for Carrefour stores across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has committed to selling only cage-free eggs across its stores under a newly signed animal welfare policy.

The new Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Policy under The Humane League, seeks to promote alternative and sustainable livestock housing systems, such as cage-free, outdoor access, free-range systems and organic feeds.

The policy is meant to push the adoption of higher welfare farming as cage-free egg production is deemed to be both beneficial to the poultry birds and consumers.

“Under our long-held commitment to leading in all the markets in which we operate, we are proud to provide customers with products that comply with the highest quality and safety standards, and that have been produced by socially and environmentally responsible means,” said Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Retail.

The Dubai-based firm highlighted it is working towards a 100 percent cage-free shell egg private label assortment across all markets it operates in by 2030 and all national brands by 2032, reports Capital News.

“We are committed to working with suppliers to increase its offerings of cage-free shell eggs in Carrefour’s assortment,” the firm said.

Carrefour’s announcement could also spur change in the local farming practices, especially those in large-scale production of eggs, where incubators are used for mass and faster production and profits.

Kevin Macharia, Majid Al Futtaim’s head of marketing and communications East Africa, said, “We will be putting in place audits to see if the policy is being implemented and if they need assistance because we understand it is a process.”

“Majid Al Futtaim’s announcement to exclusively source cage-free eggs for all its Carrefour retail operations will help to reduce the suffering of countless hens.

“This policy demonstrates that Majid Al Futtaim has true courage of their convictions, cutting-edge market intelligence, and strong relationships with customers and suppliers,” said Aaron Ross, Vice” said Aaron Ross, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at The Humane League.

The new policy adoption will overarch business commitments and positions on crucial welfare standards.

Carrefour Launches the First BIO Store in the UAE

Recently, the company opened its first BIO store in the UAE, supporting healthier lifestyle choices as consumers call for improved availability, pricing, and education when it comes to organic produce.

With over 3,000 items to choose from, the new concept store specialises in healthy and organic products spanning from food and beverages to beauty, personal, and home care items.

Featuring the retailer’s first ever café and an in-store hydroponic farm, Carrefour’s BIO store offers a state-of-the-art solution for those looking to make more sustainable swaps this year.

The store utilizes recyclable paper bags and uses biodegradable packaging across its fresh products in line with the leading retailer’s mission to eliminate single-use plastic from its operations by 2025.

It implements eco-friendly equipment to reduce energy consumption by as much as 15 per cent, plus digital price tags connected through WiFi offer a sustainable substitute to printed paper labels.

With the new concept, the retailer supports organic living and promotes locally grown produce in line with UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051.

Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE