Caged in India, free in the West?

On March 28, Jantar Mantar became a stage for protest and symbolism. An activist in a hen costume stood in silent protest for the millions of egg-laying hens confined in cages across India. Beside them, a protester dressed as an elderly woman held a placard that read, “Grew old waiting for Sodexo to fulfil its promise.” Another, clad in the Indian tricolour, sat quietly as a figure representing “Sodexo” dumped trash on her — symbolising how multinational companies treat India as a dumping ground for unethical practices.

The protest — part performance art, part demonstration — was organised by Bharat Initiative for Accountability, a coalition of 15 local animal welfare organisations that monitor how companies honour their animal welfare commitments in India. The message was clear: while Sodexo proudly reports progress on sourcing higher-welfare eggs in Europe and North America, only 3% of the eggs it sources in India meet the same standard. To make matters worse, the company recently delayed its Indian timeline by 10 years.

This demonstration captured a broader frustration. Over the past decade, over 2,600 companies—including hotel groups, restaurant chains, and food service providers—have pledged to
use only cage-free eggs by 2025. With less than
nine months left, many are on track to meet this goal. But a handful are falling short—raising troubling questions about the double standards in global supply chains.

Hens confined in battery cages live their entire lives crammed into metal enclosures so small they cannot even spread their wings. The cruelty of this system has led countries and companies worldwide to phase it out in favour of cage-free farming, which gives hens more space and opportunities for natural behaviours.

The good news? Many companies are keeping their word. Unilever, Aramark, Accor, Compass Group, and Krispy Kreme are just a few that have reported measurable progress and outlined clear plans for the year ahead — even in complex supply chains. They show that ethical sourcing is not only possible but practical.

But some are lagging far behind. Despite bold global pledges, brands like Sodexo, Hilton, Costa Coffee, and Best Western still rely heavily on eggs from cruel cages in India. Worse, some companies avoid accountability altogether — either by refusing to report region-specific progress or by blocking transparency. One company even installed an email filter to block messages containing key terms related to this issue, effectively dodging scrutiny on its public commitments.

Such inconsistencies send a clear and concerning message: that ethical standards apply in some regions, but not in others. In a market like India—home to over a billion consumers and a major part of global supply chains—this kind of double standard is unacceptable.

India is not an exception. It is central to the global economy—projected to become the third largest economy by the end of the decade— and deserves the same ethical treatment. If companies can implement cage-free policies in France or the US, they can do so here too. The old excuse that India lacks the infrastructure no longer holds.

Many solutions are now available. Ernst & Young has developed a guide to help companies achieve cage-free goals in markets like India. The Indian government is supporting this shift through training centres and model farms. Local egg suppliers are stepping up, and animal welfare organisations are actively helping companies make the transition. For those struggling to fully shift their supply, cage-free credits are also available to offset caged sourcing.

This growing ecosystem shows that sourcing cage-free eggs in India is increasingly feasible. With the 2025 deadline fast approaching, time is running out for companies to prove they mean what they promise. The majority are rising to the challenge, and their progress offers a roadmap for those still lagging.

Indian consumers are becoming more conscious about where their food comes from. They expect transparency, consistency and integrity. If companies honour their commitments in Berlin but not in Bengaluru, they risk eroding public trust and damaging their global reputations.

The shift to ethical sourcing is not a luxury reserved for Western markets; it is a global imperative. India, as one of the world’s largest egg producers and a key player in international food supply, has a vital role to play in that transformation. Food systems must reflect ethical standards globally, not selectively.

(The writer is the Director of Bharat Initiative for Accountability, a coalition of Indian animal organisations)