Opinion: Cage-free commitment is a win for birds and Hannaford shoppers alike

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 8, 2026

This March, Ahold Delhaize, owner of Hannaford and four other grocery chains in the U.S., committed to switching to 100% cage-free eggs by 2032 in all its stores. The company has clearly laid out a path to get there and agreed to show its progress along the way. This is groundbreaking. For hens, the difference is real. In cage systems, birds are kept in spaces so small they can’t spread their wings. Cage-free systems give hens more room to move and live more naturally. Maine is not one of the 11 tates have banned raising hens in battery cages. But Mainers don’t need to go vegan today to make a difference. A good start would be to purchase cage-free eggs and help Hannaford go cage-free by 2032. ~ Beth Gallie, Maine Animal Coalition, South Portland