Harris Teeter, a supermarket chain owned by Kroger—one of the largest retailers in the US—is at the heart of an animal abuse scandal. Because of their callous inaction, an estimated 1.5 million egg-laying hens are trapped inside tiny, wire battery cages so small they can't even spread their wings. And when you combine all of Kroger's 2,700+ stores across the US, it's estimated that 15 million hens are barred in these cruel cages. It's a number so big, it's hard to even picture it, until you see it. The allegations are damning.
If the cruelty itself isn't shocking enough, the sharp contrast between Harris Teeter's marketed image and reality is enough to make any caring customer feel deceived. The brand claims to be a trustworthy, loving, premium supermarket. Yet they are proving to be anything but. Ten years ago, its parent company Kroger set a deadline to be 100% cage-free. And now they are blatantly breaking their own promise—the one they made to you, to shareholders, and countless animals.
Harris Teeter owes its customers honesty, and it owes these animals basic dignity.
The hens in Harris Teeter's supply chain can't speak for themselves. But you can. YOU can end this abuse. Tell Harris Teeter to restore its original commitment and go 100% cage-free.
Dear Tammy DeBoer,
I'm heartbroken to see such extreme animal abuse in your supply chain. The allegations are shocking and damning. And they run counter to everything you claim to be. Premium. Trustworthy. Loving. Seeing these files, I no longer believe that's true.
In 2016, your parent company, The Kroger Co, promised to eliminate battery cages from its entire egg supply chain by 2025 and spare hens from extreme cruelty. But instead of fulfilling that commitment, your team backtracked in 2022. Keeping hens crammed in tiny, cruel cages is not premium or loving. And backtracking on your commitment is not trustworthy.
The millions of hens trapped in your supply chain deserve better. These sensitive, curious animals spend nearly their entire lives crammed into wire battery cages so small they can't even spread their wings—with less floor space than a single sheet of paper. Battery cages are condemned by animal welfare experts worldwide and are already banned in several states because of the extreme suffering they cause.
Your competitors like Target, and your former employer, Food Lion, have proven that change is achievable. Your customers expect honesty, integrity, and follow-through. And these sweet, smart animals deserve basic compassion and care.
We are calling on you to immediately restore Harris Teeter's and Kroger's original commitment—keeping your promise to transition to 100% cage-free eggs across all of your stores.
You have the power to create this change. Will you take it?
The time to act is now.
Thank you,
