Supporters signed on the banners with messages calling for McDonald’s to be kinder to animals, which were delivered to the franchise’s staff at the conclusion of the event.

The coordinated protest is the culmination of dozens of peaceful actions in Asia in the past three months. In the Klang Valley, activists distributed bookmarks and held posters and banners in front of the outlet at Curve NX in Mutiara Damansara.

In Hanoi, activists turned heads as diners made their way to dinner. And in Bangkok, a 20m commuter ferry emblazoned with images of caged hens was visible nearby McDonald’s local headquarters.

Hens on cage farms are crammed so tightly that they are unable to fully stretch their wings or engage in natural behaviours such as nesting, dustbathing or perching.

Research also shows that eggs from cage systems may also pose a higher risk of salmonella contamination.

Similar demonstrations were also held in Seoul, Manila, Jakarta, Taipei and Hong Kong.

“McDonald’s is increasingly out of step with its competitors in failing to take concrete action to eliminate this cruel practice from its supply chain in Asia,” said Wong Ee Lynn, advocacy and farm animal welfare programme manager at SPCA Selangor.

Rivals KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut have already announced timelines to phase out their use of cage eggs in Asia, as have brands such as Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, Panda Express and others.

In its 2022 shareholder statement, McDonald’s said it is using its “size and global reach” to improve the welfare of animals in its supply chain, and that its “ability to serve safe, quality food comes from animals that are cared for properly”.

Nevertheless, the company received an “F” grade for implementation in the latest Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare report (United Kingdom), and has dropped two tiers in the ranking since 2017.

SPCA Selangor contends that, in contrast to its cage-free policies in the United States, Canada, Latin America, South Africa and other markets, McDonald’s has failed to respond to calls to extend its commitment to Asian markets.

Added Wong: “Its sourcing decisions force millions of hens to live miserable lives in Asia, without the ability to engage in their most basic natural behaviours.”

When contacted by FMT, she said: “We have been emailing McDonald’s Malaysia since 2019 but have not received any response from them.”

FMT has reached out to McDonald’s Malaysia representatives for comment.

For more information on the activists’ campaign, click here.