Safeway Inc. revealed plans to shift its purchasing policies for pork to a system that favors more humane treatment of pigs with a gestation stall-free supply chain.

Gestation stalls have been criticized in recent years due to animal welfare concerns, and Safeway said it’s been working to address the issue. Over the last several years, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based chain said it's substantially increased the quantity of pork it buys from producers that have made commitments to decreasing gestation stalls in their breeding facilities.

“It is Safeway's goal to have a gestation stall-free supply chain," said Safeway’s VP of public affairs Brian Dowling. "With that in mind, the company is formulating plans to determine how it can reach that goal. Our company supports the efforts of our suppliers who have committed to reductions in their use of gestation stalls," added Dowling.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) supports the move. "Safeway's decision to move away from gestation crates is welcome and encouraging news," said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. "Given the scope and quantity of pork products sold by Safeway, this announcement is an important step in addressing animal welfare in the company's supply chain."

Safeway's move is also supported by the positive steps several major pork producers have made in recent years to move away from gestation stalls. As well, McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, along with Compass Group, the nation's largest foodservice company, recently announced similar moves toward gestation stall-free supply chains.

Safeway operates 1,678 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $43.6 billion in 2011.

Log in to post a comment.

Email: Password: New account   Forget password

Register to post a comment
First Name *
Last Name *
Title *
Company *
Email *
What is the number of stores your company operates? *	--- 201 or more stores 51-200 stores 11-50 stores 4-10 stores 2-3 stores Single store None of the above
Which of the following categories do you recommend, specify, or approve for your company? *	Human Resources/Labor Relations Marketing Merchandising MIS/DP/Scanning/Technology Planning/Real Estate/Consultant Retail Services/Store Operations Warehouse/Transportation Distributor Frozen Food Health and Beauty Care Grocery Health and Wellness Produce Pharmacy Bakery Meat/Seafood Beverage Dairy Nonfoods/General Merchandise Deli Gourmet/Specialty Foods Kitchenware/Houseware Products Food Service Private Label Brands Equipment/Fixture Other
If you selected Other in the question above, please specify:
Password *
Confirm password *
Enter the code seen above (case sensitive)