In Chicago, McDonald has announced that it is phasing out fossil fuel-based plastic from its Happy Meal toys in more than 100 countries as it transitions to mostly recycled and renewable plastics and sustainable fibers by 2025. Specifically, it aims to reduce the use of traditional plastics by 90% compared to 2018. The company is not committing to a full phase-out because some small pieces of the toys may be impossible to replace. “We will, of course, always look to push farther than that,” Jenny McColloch, chief sustainability officer at McDonald’s, tells Fast Company.
About a billion Happy Meal toys are given out by the fast food giant annually. McDonald’s franchises in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France have already reduced plastics by 30% and are testing kiddo’s reactions to items such as soft toys and books. “We are anticipating that some of these alternative materials will be [in] the U.S.-based toy mix starting this winter,” McColloch adds. Packaging for the toys will also become more sustainable.