Dunkin' Donuts, a US-based restaurant chain owned by Dunkin' Brands Group, plans to serve only cage-free eggs in the country by 2025, a move that comes after McDonald's and Yum Brands' Taco Bell also made similar announcements.
Dunkin' also noted that it will look at the viability of serving only cage-free eggs on an international scale.
Several groups associated with animal rights, such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Mercy for Animals, and World Animal Protection, have been pushing companies to embrace animal welfare practices for several years.
The egg industry seems to be moving towards cage-free chickens due to increasing demands from consumers and activists.
Dunkin' Brands senior director of corporate social responsibility Christine Riley Miller said: "We have a responsibility to ensure the humane treatment of animals, an issue we know is also important to both our franchise community and our loyal guests."
The Humane Society of the United States stated that Dunkin' Donuts' move will annually affect about 1.4 million egg-laying hens.
In May, Dunkin' Brands stated that 10% of all eggs used in its breakfast sandwiches in the US will come from cage-free hens by the end of 2016.
It also stated that it will not use the meat of pigs that have been raised in tight metal enclosures in the US after 2022, reported Reuters.
