Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard reveals food companies risk breaking public sustainability promises

TORONTO,  Many leading food companies in Canada risk failing to meet key sustainability promises made to consumers, according to the third edition of Mercy For Animals' annual Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard, published on Wednesday, October 25. The only benchmarking tool of its kind in Canada shows that Canadian consumers are right to be distrustful of sustainability claims, as many of the country's largest food companies are not keeping their promises regarding animal welfare in their supply chains.

The report — which ranks major companies on the quality, transparency, and progress of public pledges to address pressing animal welfare issues — reveals that much of Canada's food industry is not on track to meet fast-approaching deadlines and has fallen behind its counterparts in Europe and the United States.

Canadians care about transparency in the food system. The scorecard evaluates major household names in grocery retail and foodservice, including Loblaws, Tim Hortons, Metro, and A&W, on their transitions to cage-free eggs, crate-free pork, and chicken aligned with Better Chicken Commitment standards.