Activists hold vigil aimed at Tostao for caged hens
A group of animal activists from the NGO Sinergia Animal organized 500 candles with the message “Tostao: No more cages,” illuminating the busy area of the Parkway on Wednesday night. The activists, completely dressed in black, presented themselves to the place with photos of caged hens. They surprised passersby with a candle-message aimed at the famous chain of cafes and bakeries, which refused to announce a commitment to stop using eggs from caged hens in their products.
“Battery cages are one of the cruelest production systems for animals. Hens spend their entire lives in dirty and very small cages that prevent them from walking freely, fully spreading their wings or performing many other basic behaviors. Because of this, they develop painful diseases, injuries, and present high levels of stress,” said Katherin Torres, Campaign Coordinator of the organization.
With an online petition on Change that exceeds 75,000 signatures and various interventions at store headquarters and administrative offices, Sinergia Animal activists have tried to get the company to hear their call for animals while raising awareness for a significant number of citizens. “There are a growing number of people who would opt for products without animal cruelty. In Colombia, it has been confirmed that 89 percent of people would choose a cruelty-free purchase,” Torres said, referring to a World Animal Protection survey.
In addition to animal cruelty, the problem extends to food security. The most extensive study already conducted on contamination with salmonella found that there is a higher chance of contamination by bacteria in eggs produced in battery-cage systems. “We are puzzled that Tostao’ opts to remain silent in the face of this abuse and does not provide a quality product to its customers,” Torres said.
Faced with this reality, international brands such as Nestlé, Mondelez International, Unilever, Kraft Heinz, Burger King, and McDonald’s and dozens of companies in Colombia, including Colombina, Presto, Crepes & Waffles, Pan Pa Ya, Juan Valdez, and OMA, have adopted policies to source eggs only from cage-free suppliers and to finalize the transition by 2025.
About Sinergia Animal
Sinergia Animal is an international organization that works in the countries of the Global South to help animals in the food industry and promote more compassionate diets. The NGO is recognized as one of the most effective in the world by the renowned Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE).
Contact details
Karen Reyes
kreyes@sinergiaanimal.org
