The “Happy Meal” goes green.
The iconic concept of McDonald's, which allows it to conquer and retain followers from an early age, stops the plastic in the surprises offered with the children's menu.
A strong measure, which we reveal to you exclusively, which takes effect this Wednesday.
Some establishments should nevertheless offer some plastic toys in the coming weeks.
Instead of polluting petroleum products, books, coloring pages, collectible cards and even cardboard figurines are now planned.
"I have made the decision to remove plastic wherever possible, and we have invested a lot to innovate with answers that are relevant for our customers and for the environment," explains McDonald's France CEO Nawfal Trabelsi.
From organic milk in milkshakes to the installation of heat pumps
In fact, this arbitration also anticipates a future legal obligation.
The circular economy law of February 2020 indeed provides in its article 81 the prohibition of offering plastic toys in children's menus "no later than January 1, 2022".
In November 2019, the brand had already made efforts to precede the law by removing plastic straws before their official ban on January 1, 2021.
This approach is therefore part of McDonald's France's progressive positioning in terms of environmental transition, which began more than ten years ago.
After changing its logo from red to green in 2010, the fast-food giant in France has declined a series of eco-responsible commitments: organic milk in milkshakes, delivery fleets running on fried oil used as fuel, but also packaging design supposed to reduce the volume of waste as much as possible, a sorting system in restaurant bins, and even an "energy plan" implemented throughout the production chain, in particular the installation of heat pumps.
In the medium and long term, the American firm has promised to reduce its CO2 emissions by 36% by 2030, and to use 100% recycled and renewable materials by 2025.
"The symbol of globalization"
"I don't think we can talk about greenwashing
(Editor's note: marketing process using the ecological argument)
", nevertheless believes Béatrice Parguel, marketing specialist in sustainable development, "because McDonald's does not claim to be the champion in the world of ecology, so there is no gap, and here we have a process of gradual progress ”.
The CNRS researcher highlights the need for the brand to appear to be a pioneer in environmental transition.
"It is the symbol par excellence of globalization and as such, they are expected at the turn about their impact on society and the planet", she decrypts.
A point of view that does not share the association for the fight against waste and the proliferation of waste, Zero Waste France.
"We do not perceive any desire on their part to change the model, because they do not question the principle of the low-end single-use toy which encourages overconsumption and the production of waste", argues Alice Elfassi. , legal manager of the environmental association.