48 hours of protests target grocery giant’s headquarters
- Protests erupted across the Netherlands as Animal Equality exposed Ahold Delhaize for its broken animal welfare promises.
- Ahold Delhaize owns major grocery chains, including Stop & Shop, Giant, and Food Lion.
- The series of actions took place in Zaandam–where the company’s global headquarters are based–and was timed with its annual shareholder meeting.
- Inside the meeting, senior leaders from Animal Equality confronted executives and raised concerns in front of investors.
- Around the same time, new undercover footage from a Kansas farm linked to the company was released. It showed pregnant pigs trapped in tiny cages, showing signs of extreme mental suffering.
- The campaign has gained momentum globally, with protests taking place in the U.S., U.K., and across the European Union.
In the span of 48 hours, protests unfolded across the Netherlands as demonstrators targeted Ahold Delhaize–one of the world’s largest food retailers.
The company owns major U.S. grocery chains, including Stop & Shop, Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford.
At the heart of the protest is a long-standing animal welfare pledge. More than a decade ago, Ahold Delhaize’s brands promised to end the use of cages for pregnant pigs and hens in the U.S.—a commitment the company later confirmed.
That promise remains unfulfilled. The timeline has been pushed back. Updates have stopped. Experts warn that millions of pigs will remain trapped in some of the cruelest conditions in the industry for years to come.
Inside the meeting: Confronting company leadership
On April 9, 2025, Animal Equality launched several protests in Zaandam, home to Ahold Delhaize’s global headquarters. Protesters handed out leaflets outside the Monument Hotel, where investors stayed ahead of the annual shareholder meeting.
Later that afternoon, advocates gathered at the Zaantheater for the company’s shareholder meeting. In a room full of investors, Animal Equality confronted executives about their involvement in animal cruelty.
CEO Frans Muller responded with a statement that advocates deemed “vague,” asserting that the company “take[s] animal welfare very seriously” and that “there are still quite some things to do…”
Outside, attendees were met with posters showing undercover footage. A plane overhead carried a banner calling out the company’s broken promises. A mobile billboard drove through the city streets while protesters presented a mock award for animal abuse.
Ten years ago they committed to go cage-free in the US in 2025, not only for hens but also for pigs. So 2025 arrived, and they are not respecting their commitment. So now we are refreshing their minds with this campaign. – Matteo Cupi, Animal Equality’s Vice President for Europe
That evening, messages demanding action were projected onto Ahold Delhaize’s headquarters.
The demonstrations continued the next day outside the company’s head office, as well as a nearby store owned by one of its largest Dutch brands.
Footage from Kansas pig farm raises alarm
Fueling public pressure was new undercover footage released by Animal Equality.
Between 2024 and 2025, an undercover investigator documented conditions inside a Kansas pig breeding facility linked to Ahold Delhaize.
The footage revealed pigs trapped in gestation crates—metal enclosures so small the animals couldn’t turn around or take more than a step.
Some chewed the air or bit at the bars. Others lay motionless. Many had open wounds from constant contact with the metal. Dead piglets were found scattered on the floor, just out of reach of their caged mothers.
Despite a decade-old pledge to eliminate gestation crates, Ahold Delhaize now says it will phase them out by 2028. So far, no meaningful progress has been reported.
Global pressure mounts on Ahold Delhaize
Animal Equality has organized protests in several countries to hold Ahold Delhaize accountable for delaying its animal welfare commitments.
In the U.S., demonstrations have taken place outside the headquarters of Stop & Shop in Quincy, Massachusetts—a major brand owned by Ahold Delhaize.
The campaign has also expanded to companies connected through shared board members. One key target is Pandora Jewelry, where board member Jan Zijderveld also serves on Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board. This board oversees the company’s animal welfare policies.
Animal Equality has protested outside Pandora stores, offices, and shareholder meetings in cities like Madrid, Milan, New York, Chicago, London, and Copenhagen.
Other companies with shared board members–including Symrise, Bunzl, and Customs Support Group–have also been targeted with protests in Hamburg, Milan, and London.
These actions are part of a broader effort to hold Ahold Delhaize—and the companies tied to its leadership—responsible.
Beyond the cage: A system built on suffering
While Ahold Delhaize delays reform, experts and advocates point to a solution available right now: plant-based eating.
Cages are just one form of factory farming cruelty. But plant-based foods offer a hopeful path—one that spares animals and challenges the system behind their suffering.
SAVE ANIMALS FROM ABUSE
Pigs, cows, and other animals feel pain and deserve to be protected from abuse.
You can protect these intelligent animals by simply choosing plant‑based alternatives.
What’s next?
Animal Equality is urging Ahold Delhaize to set clear deadlines to end the use of crates in its supply chains—and to share honest updates on its progress.
People around the world are speaking out, and shoppers are taking notice.
You can join them. Take action against Ahold Delhaize today.
