The Humane League (THL), a global nonprofit working to end the abuse of animals raised for food, announces a significant win for farm animals: Subway—one of the largest restaurant chains in the world—will fully transition to 100% cage-free eggs in the US by November 1, 2025, ahead of its original deadline. In Canada, 75% of Subway restaurants now serve exclusively cage-free eggs, with full transition to 100% cage-free eggs expected by year-end. The decision follows a five-month-long national campaign by THL, calling on Subway to eliminate cruel cages.
“This decision is a victory for the nearly 340,000 hens in Subway’s supply chain who endure immense suffering in cages so small they can’t even spread their wings,” said Anna Peer, Senior Campaigns Lead at The Humane League. “With 22,000 locations in North America, Subway has proven that no corporation is too large to eliminate cages. Transparency and animal welfare are
non-negotiable, and there are no excuses left for companies that continue to drag their feet.”
By following through on its commitment, Subway joins industry leaders such as McDonald’s, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Del Taco, and Shake Shack, which have already achieved their cage-free goals in the United States. At the same time, major brands including Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Bojangles, and Bob Evans continue to lag behind, leaving hens in cages and customers in the dark. Despite this critical progress, Subway must also fulfill its public cage-free commitments made in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam by the end of this year.
Battery cages confine hens in cramped, filthy wire enclosures where they are unable to engage in natural behaviors. Caged systems promote fear, poor bone health, high levels of reproductive disease, and extreme stress in egg-laying hens. Cages also contribute to chronic stress and weakened immune systems, providing ideal conditions for the spread of zoonotic diseases.