Safeway Surpasses Goal in Cage-Free Egg Animal Welfare Effort

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PLEASANTON, Calif., Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Safeway Inc. (NYSE: SWY)
today furthered its commitment to animal welfare by becoming the first major
grocery retailer in the United States to make a national commitment to
Certified Humane® cage-free eggs and by surpassing its sourcing and sales goals
for cage-free eggs.

In 2008, Safeway began an initiative with existing suppliers to have all Lucerne
Cage-Free and O Organics shell eggs sourced from farms that are Certified
Humane®. In 2010, Safeway announced a goal of increasing sales of cage-free
eggsfrom 6 percent to 12 percent of the shell egg category within two years.
Today more than 15 percent of overall egg sales in the category are cage-free
eggs. In addition, the company added the Open Nature label to the Certified
Humane® program this year. Safeway stated it will continue to expand the
campaign as their customers respond to the initiative.

"Safeway's commitment has been unique and impressive," said Adele Douglass,
Founder and CEOof Humane Farm Animal Care ("HFAC"), a nonprofit organization
that developed and administers the Certified Humane® labeling program for eggs,
meat, dairy and poultry products. "Safeway's suppliers had to make the changes
necessary to become certified. As a result, Safeway and its suppliers have had a
major impact on improving the humane treatment of laying hens in the U.S.
Safeway's leadership is unparalleled within the retail food industry."

Safeway's Quality Assurance team worked with HFAC in this effort because HFAC is
widely known for its comprehensive and trustworthy labeling program, which
carries third-party, independent certification for the O Organics and Open
Nature Brands. In order to qualify for the Certified Humane® label, an egg
farm must meet the following animal welfare standards:

* Cages are not permitted and the housing facilities must include areas for hens
to nest, dust bath, scratch and perch.
* Animals have ample space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress.
* Animals must have access to ample fresh water and a healthy diet of quality
feed with no animal by product.
* Egg lifecycle has no added antibiotics due to hens living in more humane
conditions.

"We are supporting traditional farming practices and are committed to improving
the welfare of farm animals," said John Larsen, Safeway Vice President of Dairy
and Refrigerated. "We will continue to work with our suppliers to offer our
customers what they have shown us they want to see in our selection. We are
determined to move the needle forward for progress across the business. It's
the right thing to do."

Safeway will continue to work with suppliers to move forward on increasing their
production of cage-free eggs and reward farmers who adopt humane practices.

Safeway is an industry leader in environmental sustainability, ethical business
practices and effective community outreach. The company upholds an operating
philosophy that is rooted in corporate social responsibility and focused on four
key fundamentals: People, Products, Community, and the Planet. These
fundamentals are "The Heart of Safeway," bringing together our passion for food
and serving our customers with the rapidly developing needs of our communities
and our planet.

About Safeway www.Safeway.com
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug
retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,644 stores in
the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $43.6 billion in
2011. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol SWY.

About Humane Farm Animal Carehttp://www.certifiedhumane.org
A national non-profit 501©3 organization created to improve the lives of farm
animals by setting rigorous standards, conducting annual inspections, and
certifying their humane treatment.

Contact: Teena Massingill, 925-467-3810, Teena.Massingill@Safeway.com

SOURCE Safeway Inc.