The Humane League Publishes New Book Spotlighting Brand Mascot

The Humane League, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending the mistreatment of animals raised for food, today announced an escalation in its national campaign against Kroger to include its regional brand Harris Teeter. The group is urging the premium grocer to release a clear timeline for moving all egg supplies to cage-free sources, highlighting a gap between its upscale marketing and actual supply chain practices.

Based near Charlotte, Harris Teeter obtains an estimated 429 million eggs each year, affecting about 1.5 million hens annually. It has positioned its brand around quality, freshness, and premium service. Although recognized as one of America's Most Trustworthy Companies in 2026, the retailer has not issued a detailed plan for a full shift to cage-free eggs, even while rivals such as Food Lion advance with clearer sourcing strategies.

To support the effort, The Humane League released a new book for parents titled Harriet the Dragon and the Secret of the Dungeons, which features a playful take on Harris Teeter's happy dragon mascot. In the story, Harriet learns the reality of how the local grocer obtains its eggs and advocates for hens kept in restrictive cages. The book aims to inform Harris Teeter shoppers, especially parents, about the origins of the food they purchase.

You cannot promote a premium grocery experience and concern for customers while failing to meet basic animal welfare standards, said Dan Shannon, CEO of The Humane League. A contemporary grocery chain founded on quality and reliability should not obscure its sourcing methods behind an appealing mascot. With the new book, the organization ensures Harris Teeter's main audience of parents and regular shoppers understands precisely what they are buying.

Linked to one of the nation's top egg sellers, with Kroger ranking second only to Walmart, the retailer holds notable sway over the pace of cage-free adoption in the grocery industry. Since more than 57 percent of US eggs reach consumers through retail channels, firms like Kroger and Harris Teeter influence purchasing decisions via pricing, shelf placement, and promotions.

Other major retailers are already applying this influence to speed the change. Ahold Delhaize has issued detailed yearly plans toward full cage-free sourcing, and Target has shared an updated goal with a 2030 deadline, measurable progress by unit sales, and specific actions to steer shoppers toward cage-free choices. As the largest traditional grocer in the country, Kroger and its subsidiaries possess the reach to match these steps but have not yet provided a comparable public plan.

At the same time, the US is nearing a key milestone in cage-free production. As of April 2026, nearly half, or 47.7 percent, of the national egg-laying flock is cage-free, with producers continuing to invest in improved systems and reducing the basis for claims of supply limitations.

For additional details or to review the book and participate, please visit the campaign website.

About The Humane League
The Humane League is a global nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food by influencing the policies of the world's biggest companies, demanding legislation, and empowering others to take action. Since its founding in 2005, The Humane League has focused on effectively ending the worst abuses in factory farming, securing firm animal welfare commitments from major foodservice providers, restaurants, retailers, food manufacturers, and hospitality leaders worldwide, changing the lives of billions of farm animals suffering daily.

MEDIA CONTACT
Julia Wisner
Senior Director, Public Relations
973.722.4736
[email protected]
www.thehumaneleague.org

SOURCE The Humane League