McDonald’s is not lovin’ plastic.
The fast-food chain said it’s working with toy companies to develop alternatives to plastic toys as part of the company’s “ambition to drastically reduce plastics and offer sustainable Happy Meal toys globally by the end of 2025.” The introduction of the toys will result in a roughly 90% reduction in virgin fossil fuel-based plastic compared to 2018 levels, the company said.
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“Protecting the planet for our shared future demands that we look at all parts of our business, including the customer experience. I’m proud that nothing is off the table for our leadership, partners, and families,” McDonald’s Chief Sustainability Officer Jenny McColloch wrote. “Together, we’re expanding our positive impact on the environment through the transformation of one of McDonald’s most beloved icons.”
Since 2018, the innovations the company has implemented in markets around the world have already resulted in a 30% reduction in virgin fossil fuel-based plastic use, McDonald’s added.
McDonald’s announcement of phasing out plastic Happy Meal toys comes two weeks after the death of the inventor of the restaurant’s Happy Meal, Yolanda Fernandez de Cofino. Fernandez de Cofino introduced the children’s meal option in Guatemala in the mid-1970s. When the option was brought to the United States, a small toy was also included.
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Other companies have discontinued the use of items deemed unfriendly to the environment. Burger King U.K. announced in September 2019 it would discontinue the use of plastic toys in children’s meals and melt down its existing supply, and Elon Musk cited environmental concerns in May when he suspended the use of Bitcoin to purchase Tesla vehicles.
