Icahn demands more animal care from McDonald’s

American billionaire Carl Icahn, known as an active investor, urges the American fast food giant McDonald’s to pay more attention to animal welfare when buying pork. McDonald’s announced yesterday that Icahn nominated two confidants to be elected to the company’s board of directors this year. Icahn accuses the fast food chain of failing to meet its 2012 commitments.

McDonald’s announced in 2012 that it would gradually oblige its suppliers to abandon the housing fund – pigs are forced into cramped piglet crates. Icahn told Bloomberg last week that the company had failed to deliver on that promise. The unnecessary suffering of these animals really moves him.

McDonald’s sees success

McDonald’s now states that the group buys only about one percent of total US pork production – for example, pork in burgers. The company’s commitment since 2012 has meant that 30 to 35 percent of US pork last year came from “group-bred” animals.

According to the fast food chain, 60 percent of pork currently comes from suppliers where pigs no longer have to cut into crates. By the end of 2022, “McDonald’s expects that share to rise to 85 to 90 percent.”

The group also continued to counterattack: Icahn is the majority shareholder in Viskase, which produces packaging materials for pork and poultry. “It is interesting that Mr. Icahn has not publicly asked Viscasi to make commitments similar to those made by McDonald’s in 2012.”