Walt Disney has vowed to only use cage-free eggs at the company’s U.S. parks and cruise line by the end of this year, the latest big corporation to make such a vow after a string of restaurants and retailers are also making the change to how they source eggs.
The commitment, touted by The Humane League, comes after the nonprofit earlier this month asked Disney (DIS) to provide a cage-free egg policy. The nonprofit says the action will affect all eggs used at the hundreds of restaurants within Disney’s parks, as well as resorts and cruise ships throughout the U.S.
Disney operates parks in California and Florida, while the cruise line deports from a handful of cities including Los Angeles, Seattle and New York City.
“This commitment sets a standard for theme parks, resorts, and cruise ships nation-wide, and is a step in the right direction for the farmed animals,” said David Coman-Hidy, executive director for The Humane League.
Restaurants, food makers, and egg suppliers have in recent months announced multi-year commitments to exclusively use cage-free eggs, a policy shift animal welfare advocates say is important because of the otherwise pain caused to chickens kept in cramped cages. McDonald’s (MCD), Walmart (WMT) and Kroger (KR) are among the more notable names to make cage-free promises in recent months.
Disney’s timeline is far speedier than most, with the media conglomerate promising to make the the supply chain switch in less than eight months. Most restaurants and retailers have said they need a decade to make the transition. Though to be fair, Disney’s volume of egg usage is far smaller than chains like McDonald’s and Dunkin Brands (DNKN).