McDonald's Hungary phasing out single-use plastics
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McDonald's Hungary started phasing out single-use plastic straws, cutlery, and plastic lids covering beverage cups from all its domestic outlets last week, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.
The single-use plastics will now be replaced by paper straws, wooden cutlery, and fiber-based lids. The company is also introducing salads easy to eat without a knife and drinking spouts for its cups in order to reduce the need for cutlery and straws.
If guests still insist on using a straw or knife, paper straws or additional cutlery can be purchased for a fee.
The change will mean the disappearance of nearly 46 million plastic straws, more than 11 million plastic spoons, and 2 million plastic forks and knives over the course of a year. In the fall, McDonald's Hungary will also get rid of plastic cups for Super McFreeze and McFreeze products, ahead of a legal ban that will come into force in January 2023.
As a result of the change, 99% of the packaging used for products prepared in restaurants will come from renewable, recycled, or third-party certified sustainable sources. The restaurant chain is spending a total of HUF 800 million per year on the switchover.
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