Features Environment & Sustainability Packaging
McDonald’s aims to use 100% sustainable packaging by 2025

Jan. 23, 2018 – McDonald’s has announced plans to improve its packaging and help reduce waste in the communities the company serves around the world.

By 2025, 100 per cent of its guest packaging will come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources with a preference for Forest Stewardship Council certification, says McDonald’s. Within the same time frame, the company has set a goal to recycle guest packaging in 100 per cent of its restaurants.

This expands upon the fast food giant’s existing goal that by 2020, 100 per cent of fibre-based packaging will come from recycled or certified sources where no deforestation occurs.

“As the world’s largest restaurant company, we have a responsibility to use our scale for good to make changes that will have a meaningful impact across the globe,” said Francesca DeBiase, Chief Supply Chain and Sustainability Officer. “Our customers have told us that packaging waste is the top environmental issue they would like us to address. Our ambition is to make changes our customers want and to use less packaging, sourced responsibly and designed to be taken care of after use, working at and beyond our restaurants to increase recycling and help create cleaner communities.”

To order to reach these goals, McDonald’s says it will work with industry experts, local governments and environmental associations, to drive smarter packaging designs, implement new recycling programs, establish new measurement programs and educate restaurant crew and customers.

Currently, 50 per cent of McDonald’s customer packaging comes from renewable, recycled or certified sources and 64 per cent of fibre-based packaging comes from certified or recycled sources. Also, an estimated 10 per cent of McDonald’s restaurants globally are recycling customer packaging.