Animal Equality affirms right to protest Kroger following meeting with Cincinnati residents

City Councilmember affirms organization’s First Amendment rights as Animal Equality calls on Kroger to finally meet

CINCINNATI, OH — August 18, 2026 — Animal Equality will continue its campaign outside Kroger’s Cincinnati headquarters after meeting Monday with Cincinnati Councilmember Mark Jeffreys and approximately 15 residents and business owners from the surrounding area.

The meeting followed months of protests calling on Kroger to address its decision to abandon its commitment to transition to 100% cage-free eggs.

During the meeting, Councilmember Jeffreys explicitly affirmed Animal Equality’s First Amendment right to protest, calling it a “sacred right” and stating that nothing should be done to undermine it.

Animal Equality made clear that its protests will continue.

“Kroger made a promise to end cages for hens and then abandoned it. We have repeatedly tried to resolve this directly with the company, yet Kroger will not even agree to meet with me,” said Animal Equality President Sharon Núñez. “We will not allow a corporation of Kroger’s size to break a commitment affecting millions of animals and expect everyone to simply move on.”

Residents raised concerns about the impact of demonstrations near Kroger’s headquarters. Animal Equality thoughtfully listened to those concerns and will make adjustments intended to reduce the impact on neighbors and businesses without surrendering its right to conduct effective protests or weakening the campaign against Kroger. The meeting concluded with Animal Equality agreeing to continue protesting without horns or whistles during designated times.

“We understand that people live and work around its headquarters, and we will take that into account. But the fundamental issue remains unchanged: Kroger created this conflict when it abandoned its commitment, and Kroger has the power to resolve it,” said Núñez.

Animal Equality is calling on Councilmember Jeffreys and other Cincinnati leaders to contact Kroger and ask the company to meet directly with Núñez.

The organization has repeatedly sought dialogue with Kroger while escalating public pressure. Its campaign has mobilized more than 130 people, including Ohioans, generated more than 8,700 petition signatures, and included more than 45 protests and public actions across six cities and different countries.

Animal Equality has also faced serious hostility during the campaign. Advocates have reported intimidation and aggression while peacefully protesting, including an incident that resulted in a police complaint. Just this morning, a call received by the President threatened to “run over protestors.” Despite these incidents, the organization has continued its campaign peacefully.

At the center of the dispute are hens confined in cages so restrictive they cannot fully express many of their most basic natural behaviors. Kroger previously committed to transition to 100% cage-free eggs by 2025 before changing course.

“This should not require months of protests,” Núñez said. “Kroger’s leadership can meet with us. They can present a credible plan. They can honor the promise they made. Instead, they have refused even to sit down with me.”

Animal Equality says the responsibility for resolving the campaign now rests squarely with Kroger.

“We are prepared to talk. We have been prepared to talk,” Núñez said. “Until Kroger is prepared to do the same, we will continue standing up for the hens whose suffering has been pushed out of sight. Our right to protest is not negotiable, and neither is our determination to hold Kroger accountable.”