Safeway, Inc., the second-largest grocery chain, has announced today it will begin formulating plans to have pork suppliers provide product from gestation stall-free housing.

For several years, the Pleasanton, CA, firm says it has substantially increased the quantity of pork it buys from producers who have made commitments to decrease the use of gestation stall housing in their breeding barns.

“It is Safeway’s goal to have a gestation stall-free supply chain,” says Safeway Vice President of public affairs Brian Dowling. “With that in mind, the company is formulating plans to determine how it can reach that goal.”

McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s, along with Compass Group, the nation’s largest foodservice company, have recently announced moves toward gestation stall-free supply chains.

“Our company supports the efforts of our suppliers who have committed to reductions in their use of gestation stalls,” Dowling adds.