Cage-free commitments have largely focused on chickens, but ducks are starting to follow. With nearly 4.2 billion ducks reportedly farmed for meat and eggs in 2023, more than double the global pig population, the species has received far less welfare attention than other poultry. Research suggests caged conditions are deeply incompatible with duck biology, because ducks need access to water to clean themselves and regulate their body temperature.
Xuri Egg Products, one of China’s largest duck egg exporters, has committed to making 100% of its export eggs cage-free by the end of 2026. The company obtained NSF Animal Welfare Certification in 2024 and began exporting cage-free duck eggs internationally. Its products are sold to food companies in Europe and the United States, including Costco, and its sales manager has said Xuri became the first enterprise to obtain cage-free duck verification.
Restaurant chains are moving too. Xiao Diao Li Tang, a Beijing-style restaurant chain with around 60 outlets, has committed to a full poultry welfare policy covering cage-free chicken meat, duck meat, chicken eggs and duck eggs by 2030. It is reported to be the first domestic restaurant chain in China to make that commitment.
The Chicken Precedent
The duck movement follows the chicken path closely. Yurun Holdings Group has announced plans to transition to 100% cage-free eggs and chicken across its global factories by 2035. In the United States and Europe, retailers have set similar chicken-egg timelines. Target plans to reach 100% cage-free eggs by 2030, with more than 600 stores already selling only cage-free eggs.
Ducks bring their own complications. Their need for water access makes enclosed farm design more complex, and duck supply chains are more volatile in price than chicken. A growing share of duck production is also destined for export markets, including frozen cuts and premium products.
Why Companies Are Moving
China’s producers are said to adapt more quickly than those in Europe and the West, and cage-free production is becoming a commercial advantage.
“On the corporate side, companies in China (including agricultural producers and food companies) can adapt and adjust practices much more quickly than is typically the case in Europe and the West,” said Bing Lam, corporate engagement director at Lever China, an organization that provides guidance and resources to companies implementing animal welfare standards in their food procurement.
“Things move more quickly. And given the country’s manufacturing and technical capabilities, domestic equipment producers can design and produce new cage-free farm equipment at a much lower cost than Western manufacturers.”
The lesson from chicken is that duck commitments will be judged on delivery as much as ambition. Retailers such as Kroger have faced criticism after weakening earlier cage-free pledges, and that scrutiny is likely to extend to newer commitments in other species. For duck, the first commitments are only starting to be tested.
