Winn-Dixie: New Animal Welfare Plan
US - Five months after receiving a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Winn-Dixie Stores has announced plans to improve farm and slaughter conditions for some chickens and pigs in its supply chain.According to Jacksonville Business Journal, a PETA news release reports that the Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. plans to give purchasing preference to suppliers that use or switch to controlled-atmosphere killing.
The grocery chain will give purchasing preference to suppliers that do not use gestation crates, which are restrictive metal enclosures that confine pregnant pigs.
In addition, it will increase the total amount of pig meat that it buys from crate-free facilities by 5 per cent over each of the next three years.
In response to Winn-Dixie's plan, PETA has withdrawn its shareholder proposal calling for a report on progress made toward improving animal welfare practices, which it had submitted for inclusion at the company's 2008 annual meeting.