Image representative of typical battery cage farm
What is the problem?
Target is neglecting concerns of animal cruelty. The company is falling behind the food industry by continuing to sell eggs from caged hens. Despite stakeholder concerns, Target continues to support controversial battery cage farms where chickens are confined in cages so small that they can barely move with no plan to phase them out. This practice is so unsafe and inhumane that it is illegal in many U.S. states and the entire European Union.
When confronted with these concerns, Target director Gail Boudreaux has remained silent.
Who is Gail Boudreaux?
Gail is a longtime healthcare executive, currently serving as the CEO at Elevance Health, formerly Anthem. She is a member with The Chicago Network and serves on the boards of America’s Health Insurance Plans, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, and The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation. She’s been criticized for Elevance’s role in fueling the country’s healthcare crisis and for earning over $20 million per year, about 380 times more than the average Elevance employee.
Now she’s facing scrutiny for ignoring concerns of animal cruelty.
Can customers trust Target to do the right thing?
Target has historically enjoyed a positive reputation for its commitments to sustainability, social responsibility, and transparency. Now, the company has a concerning track record of weakening or backtracking on animal welfare policies. The company is even falling behind U.S. fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell that have eliminated battery cage eggs from their menus. Retail giant Costco is nearly 100 percent cage-free and even dollar stores are installing signs on their egg shelves to educate customers and help shift the market toward cage-free eggs.