BK pushes for animal rights

Burger King has announced a new policy on animal cruelty that will allow both animal… Burger King has announced a new policy on animal cruelty that will allow both animal activists and price-conscious customers to “have it their way.”

The burger joint has unveiled a plan that would cut down on the amount of eggs and pork purchased from suppliers who treat the animals inhumanely. Many animal activists are celebrating Burger King’s decision, hoping that it will put the pressure on other fast food chains to follow suit.

According to a New York Times report, Burger King, the world’s second largest hamburger chain, plans to begin to purchase eggs and pork from suppliers who allow the animals to move around inside pens, rather than being confined to cages or crates.

Currently, most laying hens in the United States are raised in “battery cages,” which are usually stacked on top of each other several cages high. Sows are also often raised inhumanely, being forced into cramped “gestation crates” during their pregnancies.

The chain will also begin to favor chicken suppliers who use gas, or “controlled-atmospheric stunning,” rather than electric shock to knock birds unconscious before slaughter, a technique that only a handful of slaughterhouses currently use.

Burger King’s initial plans are modest: Its goal for the next few months is only to have 2 percent of its eggs and 10 percent of its pork to be cage- and crate-free. The company has said that it plans for those percentages to rise as more farmers shift to those measures, which would result in more competitively priced supplies.

While the cage-free eggs and crate-free pork will likely come along with an increase in price, Burger King plans to pick up the extra tab, vowing to keep prices the same for customers.

Burger King executives have said that their decision was driven by a desire to stay ahead of consumer trends, hoping that their choice would encourage farmers to use more humane techniques in egg and meat production. The company claims that it will not use the new initiatives as a marketing technique.

Burger King’s move to support more humane treatment of animals is smart from both a consumer and ethical perspective. While the chain might not advertise its new policies, the plan has already sparked praise from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society. Burger King’s initiatives will also put it ahead of many of its fast-food competitors in terms of animal welfare, which might help to chip away the chain’s somewhat rebellious and politically incorrect reputation, which has in part arisen as a result of its recent “man food” ad campaign.

But as positive of a move as these initiatives are, it is important that Burger King works toward increasing the amount of cage-free eggs and crate-free pork it purchases. Its current initiatives are a good way to begin, but will hardly have a large effect if not expanded.