AEON represents many things to the average Malaysian – retail giant, supermarket chain, credit service provider, and, more recently, the pioneer of what we believe is the most comprehensive farm animal welfare policy for any retailer globally – thanks to Lever. 

With 92 supermarkets across the country, AEON is one of the largest retailers in Malaysia and Asia and a household name. Lever’s work with the company to draft a policy that protects the “Five Freedoms” of chickens, pigs, cows and fish in its supply chain has already hit the news and is a significant move that will help put animal welfare at the forefront of the retail industry in the country.

AEON’s New Policy for Farm Animals

After working with AEON for nearly a year and inspiring the company to end the use of caged eggs, Lever suggested AEON embrace a more comprehensive commitment and drafted a new farm animal welfare policy for the company. AEON will phase out cages for laying hens and pigs in its supply chain, limit stocking densities, provide environmental enrichment and avoid painful procedures such as tail docking. The policy also uniquely covers fish and crustaceans (both wild-caught and farm-raised), with suppliers required to monitor water temperature, flow, oxygen, pH, ammonia, carbon dioxide and potential diseases daily while also adopting less cruel capture and slaughter methods. Including fish and crustaceans is particularly crucial, given that Asia is the world’s largest seafood-consuming region. Broiler (meat) chicken suppliers will need to meet Better Chicken Commitment standards by limiting stocking densities, providing suitable and enriched environments, and meeting additional standards. Also, beef suppliers must provide sufficient environmental enrichment materials and litter and avoid painful procedures.

AEON is working on developing the timelines by which suppliers in the various sectors must meet the new standards and has committed to releasing those publicly by October of this year.

“Animal welfare is deeply related to the relationship human beings have with animals,” the company noted in a statement released on its website alongside the new policy. “It is our duty to ensure all animals are treated humanely, responsibly, and with respect.”

As with JDE Peet’s and Restaurant Brands International, Lever led strategic outreach work on cage-free egg commitment served as a stepping stone for pushing the company to raise the bar and adopt a broader farm animal welfare policy, resulting in a progressive and multi-species set of standards that will significantly improve the living conditions of millions of animals.

This work happened because of the support of people like you. Please consider donating today to build a more humane and sustainable protein supply in Asia.