In 2015, Karen Fernald became the Senior Vice President of Fresh Category, Merchandising & Pricing at Food Lion. She joined the company in 2011 after previously working for Sweetbay Supermarket as the company’s Senior Vice President of Operations. Food Lion is a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, one of the largest grocery retailers in the US, which also owns The Giant Company, Giant Food, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford. Karen says, “Food Lion stays focused on our customer,” so when will she ensure the company follows through on its ESG promise to customers by getting cruel cages out of its supply chain?
Nearly a decade ago, Food Lion promised consumers it would end the abuse of hens in its supply chains. However, it still has not fulfilled this sustainability goal. Consumers are outraged and want Food Lion to take its commitment seriously and follow through on its promise to stop supporting the cruel caging of egg-laying hens.
As consumers—and Food Lion’s own leaders—know, making a promise is not the same as making good on a promise.
Caged egg-laying hens spend their lives crammed together in barren wire cages. They cannot dust-bathe or express most of their natural behaviors. Often, they suffer from broken bones and mental anguish. Each hen is unable even to spread her wings, and she only has as much space as the size of a sheet of paper within which to live her entire, miserable life. Ahold Delhaize claims to be “a passionate supporter of the well-being and welfare of farm animals,” yet its brands continue to support a practice so cruel that many states have made it illegal.
Will Karen Fernald choose to do the right thing and encourage her fellow leaders to ensure Food Lion fulfills its cage-free egg commitment, or will she continue to let Food Lion fail to fulfill its sustainability commitment?
Click “Take Action” below to tell Karen Fernald that consumers demand accountability and animals deserve better. Now is the time to demonstrate true leadership by showing the world that Food Lion is committed to upholding its promises and ending the abuse of animals in its supply chain.