MCDONALD’S have announced further sustainability changes to their menu by removing all plastic packaging from their McFlurry and salad ranges.
The move comes on the back of the fast food chain’s widely publicised decision to opt for paper straws over their traditional plastic version.
Both McFlurrys and salads will be served in containers made from carton board – a product which is created from a mixture of recycled and new contents. The new packaging will be fully recyclable, and the coating used to ensure the containers remain rigid will also be 100% renewable.
McDonald’s say that the change in packaging will reduce plastic waste by 485 metric tonnes annually, and they also aim to source all packaging from renewable or recycled sources by 2025
Beth Hart, supply chain director of McDonald’s UK & Ireland said, “I am delighted that today’s news means we will be serving our much loved and new menu items in an even more sustainable way. Removing plastic lids from the McFlurry, and introducing new cardboard packaging for salads, will save nearly 500 metric tonnes of plastic a year. It’s the latest step in our sustainability journey.
“We are committed to listening to our customers and finding solutions with our suppliers that work for them, this is the latest example of that – but by no means the end. We continue to look for solutions for our cutlery and lids, for example, but this is great progress. For us, sustainability is about more than just packaging. We have to look at the whole journey – by 2030 we’re committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36%.”
