Denny’s Among First in Restaurant Chains to Commit to Reducing Antibiotics in Chicken
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Stefanie Spear, sspear@asyousow.org, 216-387-1609
Oakland, CA—Feb. 13, 2019—Following engagement with As You Sow, Denny’s has updated its Animal Welfare statement to include a policy disallowing the use of medically important antibiotics in its chicken supply chain, effective March 1. Many of the country’s top fast-food chains have established policies eliminating use of human class antibiotics in the chicken they purchase; Denny’s is one of the first restaurant chains to take this action.
Not only is Denny’s committing to eliminate the “routine, preventive use” of medically important antibiotics in its chicken supply chains, but it goes a step further by eliminating the use of medically important antibiotics in all chicken served at Denny’s U.S. locations, including for preventing or treating disease in animals.
Investor pressure helped move Denny’s to take this important step. As You Sow filed a shareholder resolution in December 2017 asking the company to establish a policy eliminating medically important antibiotics in the company’s meat supply chains. The proposal received strong support from investors, encouraging the company to be proactive, keep up with industry leaders, and respond to increasing consumer demand for responsibly raised meat.
“We are pleased to see the company take leadership among its restaurant peers in helping to curb the overuse and abuse of antibiotics in the chicken supply chain,” said Christy Spees, environmental health program manager at As You Sow. “With this action, Denny’s is supporting chicken producers that are actively ending the use of medically important antibiotics in their operations, responding to customer concern, and helping to preserve the effectiveness of these life-saving drugs.”
For more information on As You Sow’s work on antibiotics and factory farms, click here.
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As You Sow is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy, coalition building, and innovative legal strategies. Click here to see As You Sow’s shareholder resolution tracker.