Consumers Petition Trader Joe’s on Animal Welfare Practices

Many of us are loyal Trader Joe’s shoppers who appreciate the grocery chain’s healthy, low-priced foods, upbeat atmosphere, and superior customer service. That’s why it is especially disheartening to learn that unlike almost every major grocer in the U.S., Trader Joe’s still has not committed to a timeline to end the use of gestation crates throughout its supply chain.

Gestation crates are widely recognized as cruel and inhumane. They confine breeding pigs throughout their four-month pregnancy in a space so tiny that it’s roughly the same size as the animals’ bodies. The crate is so narrow it prevents them from even turning around. The pigs are subsequently transferred into another crate to give birth, are then re-impregnated and put back into a gestation crate. This inhumane cycle repeats, pregnancy after pregnancy, for virtually their entire lives, adding up to years of immobilization.

Almost every major company in the food industry—from restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Cracker Barrel, and Quiznos to retailers such as Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger and Wal-Mart—have recognized the need to catch up to public opinion and have publicly announced timelines to end their use of gestation crates 100%.

We are hopeful that Trader Joe’s will soon do the same! Last year we started a petition (now with almost 370,000 supporters) asking Trader Joe’s to commit to a timeline to transition away from all suppliers that use gestation crates. To address these concerns, last month Trader Joe’s announced preliminary steps on its website. While we are excited that Trader Joe’s is taking consumer concerns seriously, we hope that they will soon commit to timeline for a 100% gestation crate free supply chain just like other major grocers have already done.

On Wednesday, March 14th, a group of consumers will deliver the petition to Trader Joe’s corporate headquarters at 1 P.M. We are grateful this event will give us the opportunity to talk to Trader Joe’s about how to prevent the needless suffering of the animals that feed us. Well-loved retailers like Trader Joe’s have enormous power to appeal to the growing segment of consumers looking to align their food choices with their personal values and beliefs.

For more information on this event, please go here.