Earlier this month, I told you something big was brewing.

Today I’m thrilled to reveal that your support has helped secure a historic win for animals. Following weeks of intense negotiations, Aldi—the world’s largest discount retailer—has committed to ending some of the worst cruelty to chickens in its supply chains.

Anyone who’s met a chicken knows how curious and sensitive these birds are. They’re also among the most abused animals on the planet. Behind factory farm walls, chickens are bred to grow so fast that they can struggle to stand under their weight. They lie in their own waste inside dark sheds, and risk being boiled alive at slaughter.

Today’s breakthrough will save tens of million animals every year from enduring abuses such as these. You read that right:

This breakthrough couldn’t have come at a more critical time. Aldi is set to dominate the retail landscape, expanding rapidly in the US and other countries. It was vital that we intervened to ensure this expansion didn’t compound the suffering of animals in factory farms, or set back our ongoing work to end the extreme abuses faced by chickens in slaughterhouses.

We’ve secured the first win. Aldi has publicly committed to reform its supply chain in Germany and Spain. They’ve also agreed to collaborate with The Humane League and our coalition partners to develop similar commitments in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Portugal, Austria, Italy, the UK, Ireland, and the US.

We have reason to believe that other retailers may soon follow Aldi’s lead, preventing even more suffering. This could become a watershed moment, but it won’t happen unless we hold Aldi to its promise.

The hard work is far from over—we need you with us to see this through. I know that with your support we can turn this moment into a turning point in the fight to end the abuse of animals raised for food.

Together, we’re unstoppable. On behalf of every animal who deserves better, thank you.

   

	For the animals, David Coman-Hidy President

P.S. I hope you’ll join me to take a moment today to reflect on what we’ve just achieved together. The pathway to a world free from animal abuse is long, and steps like these are worth celebrating.

P.P.S. If you’re curious to learn more about how this all unfolded, jump onto our blog for more details.