8 Years Later, Millennium's Cage-Free Hotel Commitment Has Not Shown Progress

JAKARTA - A total of 13 activists from the Act for Farmed Animals (AFFA) coalition held a peaceful action in front of the Millennium Kebon Sirih Hotel, Central Jakarta, Monday, February 2, to demand the commitment to use cage-free eggs (cage-free) which was promised since 2018 but until now has not shown a report of realization.

The action was carried out as a form of insistence on transparency, considering that the implementation deadline set to end in 2025. AFFA assessed that hotels had not provided public information regarding the transition process.

In their action, the activists brought a giant clock property as a symbol of time that continues to run, as well as a visual of the condition of laying hens in battery cages to illustrate the impact of these practices on animal welfare.

AFFA Campaign Leader, Elfha Shavira, emphasized that the company's commitment should be fulfilled, not just a statement.

"A commitment is a promise that must be fulfilled. It has been eight years since the Millennium declared freedom from cages, but until now there has been no report of progress. Without transparency, we assess that the commitment has been ignored," Elfha said in his statement, Thursday, February 5.

AFFA refers to the Cage-Free Tracker Asia 2025 report released by Sinergia Animal. The report evaluated 95 food companies in five Asian countries - India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand - which play an important role in the region's egg supply chain.

In the ranking, the Millennium Hotel was listed in Tier E, the lowest category, which means that there have been no public reports regarding the implementation of the cage-free commitment. Meanwhile, regionally, 70.5 percent of companies have revealed their transition progress.

Although the hotel was said to have refused to engage in dialogue during the action, AFFA stated that it would continue to monitor and encourage the company's openness.

The coalition also confirmed that it was ready to work with businesses, including international hotel chains, to ensure a more ethical, transparent, and sustainable food system.

"Big business should set an example. Transparency is the first step to building public trust," concluded Elfha.