Natural Foods Retailer Is First National Chain to Commit Exclusively to Cage-Free Eggs for Its Approved National and Regional Product Lists

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Wild Oats Markets, Inc. announced an historic victory in the effort to combat intensive confinement systems in animal agribusiness. After multiple discussions with The HSUS, Wild Oats, one of the nation's largest natural foods retail chains, agreed to avoid the sale of eggs from caged birds in all of its 75 Wild Oats Natural Marketplaces, located in 23 states.

While some U.S. companies, such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, have asked their egg suppliers to increase cage space, this announcement makes Wild Oats the nation's first major chain to formally implement a cage-free corporate policy for eggs. Wild Oats sold 1.6 million cartons of eggs in 2004.

"Demand for improving the welfare of farm animals has never been higher," said Perry Odak, President and CEO of Wild Oats Markets, Inc. "We are hopeful that our decision not to approve egg farmers who use caged birds for our national and regional product lists will encourage the egg industry to move in the direction of phasing out its use of battery cages, and shifting toward cage-free methods that take the animals' welfare into account."

"Wild Oats has made a savvy business decision by positioning itself as a corporation sensitive to animal welfare concerns," said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. "Socially aware consumers want to know that animal products sold at retail are produced in a humane and sustainable manner, and with egg production, it is well established that raising birds outside of cages is the most responsible production system."

Approximately 98 percent of eggs sold in the United States come from birds confined in barren "battery cages" so small they can't even spread their wings, let alone engage in other natural behaviors such as nesting, foraging, perching, and dust bathing -- a practice that 86 percent of Americans surveyed by Zogby International find unacceptable.(1) Despite this, battery cage egg production has increased over the last 50 years and bears no resemblance to the idyllic barnyard setting of children's storybooks.

According to HSUS Factory Farming Campaign manager Paul Shapiro, "Birds in battery cages suffer immensely. Wild Oats has taken a bold step by avoiding the sale of eggs from caged birds, and we enthusiastically applaud their efforts to help reduce animal suffering."

This historic announcement also supports The HSUS's No Battery Eggs campaign, which is designed to encourage the egg industry to move away from caged egg production. To date, The HSUS has already enjoyed substantial success through its efforts to encourage university food service providers to switch to an exclusively cage-free egg supply. George Washington University has stopped selling battery cage eggs in its school store, and food service providers AVI and Bon Appetit are testing cage-free egg sales on campuses they serve.

Despite increasing regulation on the treatment of laying hens in the European Union, virtually no laws exist in the United States to protect these birds. Egg-laying hens are exempted from the federal Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and most states' anti-cruelty statutes either explicitly exempt common farming practices, no matter how abusive, or aren't ever applied to farm animals.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than nine million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.

(1) The poll of 1,204 adults nationwide was conducted in 2000 and had a

margin of error of +/- 3.0.

Source: Wild Oats Markets, Inc.

CONTACT: Rachel Querry of HSUS, +1-301-258-8255, rquerry@hsus.org; or
Sonja Tuitele of Wild Oats, +1-720-562-4984, stuitele@wildoats.com

Web site: http://www.hsus.org/