Beginning in 2021, McDonald's customers in select UK restaurants will be able to choose a reusable hot beverage cup, which can be returned to be sanitized and reused.
This week, McDonald’s Corporation announced a global partnership
with TerraCycle’s circular packaging service,
Loop, to test a new reusable cup model for hot beverages. The initiative, which will first be trialed in 2021 across select McDonald’s restaurants in the UK, will enable customers to enjoy hot drinks from McDonald’s in a durable, reusable, Loop-created cup — in order to cut down on packaging waste.
The reusable cups will be available for a small deposit — the deposit can then be redeemed by returning the cup to participating McDonald's UK restaurants, in order to be washed and
sanitized through the Loop system and reused again in McDonald’s restaurants.
“We’re on a journey to rethink how we package products to give customers options
that reduce waste, maintain the highest safety standards, and enhance the
McDonald’s experience they expect and enjoy. That’s an innovation challenge, and
it’s one we think the Loop
model has potential to help us solve,” said Jenny McColloch, McDonald’s VP of
Global Sustainability. “We’re excited to assess how new reusable packaging
models could work within our system as we accelerate circular packaging
solutions with our partners around the globe.”
While McDonald’s has been working for the past few years with
Starbucks
and Closed Loop Partners on solutions to reduce single-use beverage use
waste
through its participation in the NextGen Cup
Challenge,
this reusable cup pilot could also help mitigate the extra packaging
waste
generated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — as many businesses banned the use of reusable items and packaging, for safety reasons.
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Speaking of which, the Loop partnership meets McDonald’s cleanliness and safety
standards, which have only become more important throughout the pandemic. Loop's cleaning system was scientifically developed in partnership with Ecolab — so, each cup is sanitized before each use, making it as safe and hygienic as a single-use cup.
"This groundbreaking partnership with McDonald's enables Loop to greatly expand
its reach by bringing convenient reusable packaging options to the food service
industry," said TerraCycle and Loop CEO Tom Szaky. “The partnership paves the
way for reusables to become an accessible option for consumers as they enjoy
their meal on the go."
Published Sep 10, 2020 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST
Sustainable Brands Staff