A new report released today finds that the overwhelming majority of top hotel groups in Macau have set a timeline for ending the use of eggs from caged hens across their global operations. The shift marks a significant milestone in the region’s hospitality sector toward promoting animal welfare and enhancing food safety and quality.
The 2024 Macau Hospitality Industry Cage-Free Scorecard, compiled by the international NGO Lever Foundation, found that over 90% of the market’s leading hotel groups (defined as groups operating at least two 4 or 5 star hotels globally and operating in Macau) have now pledged to transition to 100% cage-free eggs. Local groups that have made the pledge include China Travel Service (Macao), Galaxy Entertainment Group, Macau Legend Development, Melco Resorts & Entertainment and SJM Holdings. International hotel groups present in the market, including Accor, The Ascott, Four Seasons Hotels, GCP Hospitality, Harilela Group, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts and Artyzen Hospitality Group (Macau) have also committed to sourcing only cage-free eggs.
The only hospitality groups in Macau that have so far failed to set a timeline for ending the use of caged eggs are Global International Hotel Management and Kingston Financial Group. The European Food Safety Authority and a dozen international research teams have found caged egg farms have up to a 33 times greater risk of salmonella contamination. A 2021 survey of Chinese consumers by media agency FoodTalks found that 75% said they would be more likely to patronize businesses that use only cage-free eggs.
“We are thrilled to have witnessed the Greater Bay Area rapidly advancing its animal welfare standard across the hospitality sector over the last two years,” commented Lily Tse, Sustainability Program Director at Lever Foundation, which worked with each of the Macau-based hospitality groups on their commitments. “This widespread industry shift to cage-free eggs in Macau, which matches a similar trend in the Hong Kong market where over 90% of hotel groups have also pledged to go cage-free, reflects great leadership among the region’s hospitality sector in promoting sustainable sourcing practices that benefit animals and provide higher quality food for consumers.”
As demand has continued to rise among hospitality groups and other food companies, the volume of cage-free eggs sourced and sold in the Macau market has also increased significantly. An increasing number of consumers are also reducing or eliminating eggs from their meals entirely as the most effective way to protect the welfare of hens.
ABOUT LEVER FOUNDATION
Lever Foundation is a global NGO with staff operating across Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America. Lever Foundation works with leading companies to help them upgrade their food sourcing for a more humane, safe and sustainable supply chain, focusing on upgraded animal protein and plant-based foods.
