Brazil's GPA Group is the first major retailer from the South American country to make a public commitment to animal welfare in terms of egg production.
The company, majority-owned by France's Casino, is committed to selling only eggs sourced from non-cage hatching by 2025.
Currently, the company's own-brand portfolio of eggs comprises two brands: Taeq (an organic line) and Qualitá (free-range and conventional).
Private label brand eggs account for up to 80% of sales in the category in the retailer's Extra hypermarkets and Pão de Açúcar supermarkets.
The latest commitment is in addition to the initiatives already carried out by GPA, through the Assaí, Extra and Pão de Açúcar store formats, to collaborate with animal welfare programmes in the Brazilian supply chain.
From this year, GPA intends to enhance its audit protocol, integrating international concepts into practices related to animal welfare.
In addition, the retailer will launch new "no-cage" product lines, reinforce in-store communication to inform consumers of its plans, and Seek to define regulations relating to the production of eggs from cage-free hens.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
