NGO Sinergia Animal urges retail giant Walmart to stop commercializing eggs from producers with poor welfare standards
[Santiago, December 22th, 2022] — An undercover investigation released by international animal protection organization Sinergia Animal revealed unsanitary and poor animal welfare conditions in Chilean farms. Hens that lay eggs sold by Chilean supermarket chain Lider, a Walmart subsidiary, lived in cramped cages amidst excrement and flies.
"The evidence gathered shows a chilling reality under which hens are raised and die right here in our country. They were found struggling, unsuccessfully, to find a bit of space to display their most natural behaviors while stomping on the corpses of those that died,"
said Diamela Covarrubias, Corporate Engagement Director at Sinergia Animal.
"Animals were left inside the cages to rot. We documented a true horror scenario made of dead bodies, feces, and lots of flies. We are sure that many Chilean consumers would be appalled to learn about where their eggs come from."
Besides the cage controversy, a farm owner described how they starve the hens for up to ten days to stimulate a new egg production cycle. This controversial practice is known as forced molting and leads to high mortality rates.
Lower standards in Chile
Because of the welfare controversies surrounding these egg production systems, conventional battery cages have been banned in the European Union and some US states. Walmart has announced plans to ban cages in the US but hasn't adopted this policy in Chile.
"We are inviting Líder to follow the example of Cencosud, which has already committed to phasing out cages completely in its supply chain. We are also urging the company to stop treating animals with lower standards in Chile compared to the US, and we know consumers are on our side,"
said Covarrubias.
According to a recent survey in Chile by Ipsos and Fundación Vegetarianos Hoy, 62% of Chilean consumers said they are concerned about the living conditions of laying hens. Sixty-three percent say they would be willing to change where they buy eggs to find cage-free options.
Learn more about Sinergia Animal's investigation at www.media.sinergiaanimal.org/gallery/walmarts-egg-suppliers-in-chile.
About Sinergia Animal
Sinergia Animal is an international animal protection organization working in the Global South to reduce the suffering of farmed animals and promote more compassionate food choices. We are recognized as one of the most effective animal protection NGOs in the world by Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE).