In response to new laws, the United States' egg producers are in the midst of a massive multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs.
'Time' reports that the shift dramatically changes the lives of millions of hens.
In 2010, just 4% of hens lived in cage-free housing.
Ten years later, in 2020, 28% were cage-free.
According to 'Time,' that number is expected to more than double in the next four years to reach 70%.
The change reportedly represents one of the biggest successes of the animal welfare movement's battle against the food industry.
"What we producers failed to realize early on was that the people funding all the animal rights activist groups, they were our customers. And at the end of the day, we have to listen to our customers." Marcus Rust, the CEO of Indiana-based Rose Acre Farms, via 'Time'
'Time' reports that many companies view the shift to cage-free as good for their brand's image.
McDonald's, which purchases roughly 2 billion eggs annually, said that the company's gradual shift to cage-free came in response to customers' wishes.
In 2015, a Gallup poll showed that almost two thirds of Americans believe that animals deserve to be protected from exploitation and harm.
According to 'Time,' egg companies in the U.S. house approximately 325 million hens.