Demand That Kroger Drop Cruel Fish Supplier
Stop Selling Simmons Catfish
A recent Animal Equality investigation uncovered widespread cruelty to fish at Simmons Farm Raised Catfish in Mississippi, a major industrial aquaculture operation. Simmons brags about selling to Kroger, a major supermarket chain which sells Simmons products to consumers across various states. Animal Equality has sent Kroger documentation of animal abuse at Simmons, yet Kroger continues to sell Simmons products. Both companies are profiting off cruelty, and it’s up to us to end it.
SUFFOCATION & INSUFFICIENT STUNNING
Animal Equality’s investigation revealed fish kept out of water for long periods of time—up to an hour—before they were finally beheaded, often while fully conscious. While the fish pass through an electrical stunning device as they go down the assembly line type machine to be killed, many regain mobility and begin gasping and moving their fins long before they have their heads chopped off.
ANIMALS GROUND UP ALIVE
The investigation also revealed rejected catfish, mudfish, and turtles were removed from production lines and tossed in buckets without water. Later they were dumped onto a conveyor and transported to a macerator where they were ground up alive while fully conscious.
KROGER IS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
In response to Animal Equality’s outreach informing Kroger of the systemic animal cruelty and neglect discovered at Simmons’ operation, the grocery giant responded: “Following outreach to both the supplier and the Catfish Farmers of America association, Kroger did not find any direct violations of welfare practices for catfish.” It did not explain how it came to this conclusion; it seems to have simply asked Simmons and its trade group if treating catfish this way is cruel. Asking a wrongdoer if they’ve done anything wrong isn’t an investigation.
VIOLATIONS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW
In response to Kroger’s insufficient investigation, Animal Equality sent Kroger a detailed legal analysis explaining how Simmons’ treatment of catfish violates Mississippi’s animal cruelty law. These legal violations place Simmons in direct violation of the very first line of Kroger’s Vendor Code of Conduct, which states: “[A] Vendor may not engage in any action or practice in violation of the laws or regulations of any country or other location in which it does business.” To make sure Kroger upholds its own vendor policy, we need your help: Use the form above to urge Kroger to drop Simmons from its stores.
Catfish may look different than the cats we share our homes with, but evidence shows that they feel pain like all animals do. They use their whiskers to understand the world around them, the way we use our eyes and hands. Kroger is putting its reputation on the line to support a company that beheads fish while fully conscious, grinds turtles and other animals alive, and allows fish to be left out of water as they struggle to breathe.
Sharon Núñez
Co-Founder & President, Animal Equality
