Animals Aotearoa, as part of the Open Wing Alliance, is joining nearly 100 global organisations to demand that Best Western Hotels and Resorts immediately publish a global progress report on its commitment to go cage-free.
Back in 2019, Best Western committed to transition to 100% cage-free eggs by the end of 2025. This commitment covered all egg types (shell, liquid, processed) and all Best Western properties, franchised and managed alike. This was an achievable goal, but Best Western has since gone silent. Despite repeated requests, no updates on progress have been shared. Now, the cage-free deadline is fast approaching with no signs that it will be met.
With over 4,300 properties in 100 countries, including hotels in Wellington and Auckland, Best Western uses an estimated 89 million eggs annually. This makes their silence deeply concerning. It is estimated that more than 319,000 hens are still confined to tiny, barren cages to supply these eggs.
Battery and colony cages are both incredibly cruel forms of farming. The hens’ bodies can get caught in the wire caging, resulting in broken bones and deformed feet. They suffer severe feather loss. The hens are crammed into these cages, never being able to spread their wings, feel the sun on their feathers, never being able to dust bathe, or to scratch and peck at the ground whilst foraging for food. All the basic, natural behaviours and activities of hens are taken away from them.
To put the cage-free promise in perspective, industry peers who are reporting, or have fulfilled their cage-free commitments, include Hilton, Motel One and IHG.
We believe New Zealanders want to know if companies operating here are keeping their word on animal welfare promises, or if they are instead clinging to cruel, outdated factory farming. That’s why we visited the Best Western Ellerslie Hotel in Auckland for a peaceful protest, sending the message that failure for this company to act on their global promise is not an option.
It’s time for Best Western to start reporting on their global progress, now.
Take action to help caged hens today. Urge Best Western to immediately report on their global cage-free promise.