PETA's letter to Safeway replying to the company's media statement regarding the campaign

February 13, 2002

Brian Dowling
Safeway, Inc.
5918 Stoneridge Mall Rd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588-3229

2 pages via fax: 925-467-3230

Dear Mr. Dowling:

We must admit that we've been surprised by your comments in the press, since PETA launched our campaign against Safeway last week. We wonder if your comments indicate a willingness on Safeway's part to reconsider its stance.

In the Chronicle, February 6, you were quoted as saying that Safeway, "frequently visits [your] suppliers to ensure product quality, safety and the humane treatment of animals." However, this statement appeared only in the first of the articles, and did not appear to have been repeated by you. Even if you aren't yet taking these steps but are willing to commit to them, this would change things.

There are a few other statements we would like to address. All of these appeared (or were mentioned) in multiple venues. We would very much appreciate your reply to our comments:

The San Jose Mercury News (Feb. 7) reported: "'We aren't insensitive to the concerns of PETA,' said Brian Dowling, Safeway's vice president of public affairs. 'But we are in a difficult position and have had long relationships with our suppliers.'"

Your long relationship with your suppliers is all the more reason for you to use that relationship to decrease animal abuse. Your suppliers don't want to lose your business; you have the power.

In the Chronicle, you are quoted as stating that "if PETA believes slaughterhouses are mistreating animals, the group should file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has formal oversight."

I trust you know as well as we do that the USDA doesn't enforce humane slaughter laws (and that there are no such laws for chickens and turkeys anyway). That's why McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and Wendy's are already doing their own audits.

The Contra Costa Times (Feb. 7) reports you as saying that Safeway "has no evidence of widespread, systematic animal abuse among its meat suppliers... 'PETA, from what we've seen, hurls a lot of accusations, but we've not seen any significant evidence.'"

As you well know, most of the issues we're discussing are not even in dispute. You buy from suppliers that force molt hens, cram 7-to-11 hens into tiny cages, and so on. You refuse to audit your slaughterhouses or farms, so of course you have no evidence of widespread abuse. You're not looking. But you do know that Safeway supports practices that are so cruel they've been eliminated by McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's—not exactly animal rights groups.

The Contra Costa Times also quotes you as saying that Safeway "requires suppliers to meet government standards" and that "it's in Safeway's best interest for its suppliers to treat its animals well because that makes for better quality meat."

This is simply not true and you can't really believe that. Since you don't audit, you have no idea about whether the very few government regulations are enforced (they aren't, as has been documented extensively by entities as diverse as the Washington Post and McDonald's Corporation). When McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's did audits, they found widespread violations of government standards. And as for the "Abused animals make for bad meat" canard, surely you don't believe this nonsense. You can't find a single expert who would corroborate such a statement.

Safeway was the industry leader on animal testing. The humane community feels betrayed by Safeway on the issue of farmed animal welfare. Why not set the standard on humane treatment in this area as well? Or at least meet the minimum standards of others? Our requests are not extreme. We have settled with McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, and because they are working with us, we have agreed to leave Wholefoods and KFC alone entirely. Surely you can move forward?

As we stated in a letter last week to Mr. Burd, it is morally reprehensible that Safeway has chosen to ignore its suppliers' abuse of farmed animals. We are not asking for Safeway to do any more than what your customers want (and your PR statements seem to accept this): We are only asking that Safeway eliminate some of the most egregious abuses.

Please call me to discuss these matters. If I don't hear from you by the end of the week, either Dr. Steven Gross or I will call you.

Sincerely,

Bruce G. Friedrich
Senior Campaign Coordinator

cc: Steven Burd, Safeway
Karen Brown, FMI
Dr. Steven Gross, Steven J. Gross & Associates
Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State University
Terrie Dort, NCCR