Kroger Demands Expedited Move to Ban Crates

With nearly 2,500 locations, Kroger is the nation’s largest grocery-store chain, and it announced Monday that it is determined to source its pork from crate-free facilities as soon as possible. Following the lead of rival grocer Safeway, as well as myriad fast-food restaurants and catering companies, the chain pledged to quicken the process of eradicating the cruel crates, which confine pregnant sows to a space so small that they cannot move freely or even turn around. Humane Society of the United States President and CEO Wayne Pacelle applauded the move, stating, “[Kroger] has taken a very important step … in declaring that the pork industry must find an exit strategy for its use of gestation crates.”