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McDonald’s just gave notice to its customers that its Happy Meals will look a little different soon. No, the Illinois-based fast food chain announced won’t be taking away the french fries (phew), but they *are* taking away the plastic toys. While the 80s kid in us is sad to see the dolls and cars we collected in our youths disappearing from the McDonald’s experience altogether, we are lovin’ the company’s sustainability efforts.
McDonald’s Phasing Out Plastic Toys
The restaurant told the Associated Press that by 2025 plastic toys will have been completely phased out from Happy Meals, and that they’re starting their efforts now by working with toy companies on new material innovations. The company will begin testing (and ultimately replace the plastic options with) more eco-friendly alternatives like buildable cardboard figures, board games or plant-based game pieces. Hm! This might be the most drastic change the restaurant has made since adding plant-based meat options or closing its dining rooms for Covid. These are certainly unprecedented times!
The Chicago-based chain reports that it sells more than 1 billion toys via the Happy Meals each year; their new goal will be to reduce virgin plastic use by 90%. We applaud the company for cutting the majority of its plastic use; and sadly this is another global environmental effort that the U.S. is behind on. The company already offers soft toys, paper-based toys and books, in the U.K. and Ireland, and competitor Burger King removed plastic toys from kids' meals in the U.K. two years ago. Well, I suppose that it's better to gift our next generation a cleaner planet than a bunch of junky toys!
And they're not just gunning for the kids' meals. Earlier this year, McDonald's announced that it would be removing the toxic PFAS from all packaging. These chemicals are harmful to human health and the environment, and really have no business anywhere near in your burgers.
