McDonald’s is concerned about EU plans

The European Commission suggested regulations last year that would require fast-food restaurants to use reusable packaging materials more extensively. Although the European Parliament and the European Council have not yet finalized their positions on the matter, they aim to adopt new legislation on this issue in the coming months.

McDonald’s has been actively working to reduce its environmental footprint by using fiber-based packaging materials for 94% of its products and striving to further reduce plastic usage. However, Jon Banner, McDonald’s Global Chief Sustainability Officer, suggests that if the European Parliament approves the proposed regulations, the company may have to revisit its use of plastics, as these materials would be considered reusable.

It’s worth noting that McDonald’s has had mixed experiences with reusable materials in the past. Some European countries experimented with reusable cups, offering customers a €2 deposit for returning them. In Germany, only 40% of the cups were returned, while in the Netherlands, it was roughly 25%. Additionally, these reusable cups would need to be used 50-100 times to be more environmentally advantageous than single-use, eco-friendly materials.

However, Tatiana Luján, a leader at the environmental organization ClientEarth, believes that reusable materials are not the ultimate solution to the waste problem. She argues that reuse could lead to less waste, but it’s not a comprehensive solution.

In summary, the proposed EU regulations on reusable packaging materials may challenge McDonald’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact through recycling and recycled packaging. While McDonald’s has made progress in using eco-friendly materials, the EU’s preference for reusables may require the company to reassess its approach to plastics in its packaging.

On a different note, this year marks the 35th anniversary of the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant in Hungary. The chain serves more than 70 million customers annually across its 112 locations in Hungary, with 38% of its ingredients supplied by Hungarian vendors. In 2019, McDonald’s transferred its entire Hungarian operations to local ownership under the Progress Étteremhálózat.