According to McDonald's, over the next decade, it will phase in cage-free eggs in the US and Canada. It is the latest decision made under CEO Steve Easterbrook in order to reinvent the company as a "modern, progressive burger company".

McDonald's has already made announcement regarding several changes since Easterbrook started serving as CEO of the company earlier this year. The company is under pressure to revive its falling sales. In March, the company said that it would phase in chickens raised without most antibiotics.

This decision of switching to cage-free eggs points to an increasing sensitivity among customers, when it comes to animal welfare issues. This move has been led in part by places like Chipotle, where animal welfare standards have become a part of marketing.

According to Paul Shapiro, the Humane Society of the United States' vice president of farm and animal protection, for the past few years, the group has asked McDonald's to phase in cage-free eggs at annual shareholders meeting of the company.

Subway and Starbucks are also among the companies that have made announcement regarding switching to cage-free eggs; however they have not came up with a timeline for completing the transition.

According to Adam Grachnik, a communications officer with the company, "Our definition is that cage-free hens roam throughout the building or in defined sectors of a building. The building is equipped with perches, nesting areas and dust-bathing material".