We’re calling on Wendy’s to ‘Hold the Antibiotics’ from its beef supply chain

How can the country's third-largest burger chain help save the cornerstone of modern medicine? By buying only beef raised without the routine use of antibiotics.

How can the country’s third-largest burger chain help save the cornerstone of modern medicine? By buying only beef raised without the routine use of antibiotics.

On March 28, U.S. PIRG and our national network launched our campaign to convince Wendy’s to do just that. A new estimate suggests up to 162,000 Americans die from antibiotic-resistant infections every year. If we want to keep antibiotics working, companies such as Wendy’s need to stop sourcing beef from large, industrial livestock operations that overuse medically important antibiotics.

“We can’t waste life-saving medicines to produce cheap beef. Wendy’s can use its buying power to help move the beef industry away from overusing antibiotics,” said Matt Wellington,  national director of our Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics campaign.

Wendy’s no longer serves chicken raised on medically important antibiotics. But the chain earned only a D- on our latest Chain Reaction scorecard, which graded top burger chains on antibiotics use in their beef supply chains.

Read the press release here.

Photo: Supporters hold signs at the kick-off event for the Hold the Antibiotics: Wendy’s campaign. Photo Credit: Austin Donohue

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