McDonald’s in the UK is trialling a returnable drink cups scheme in partnership with TerraCycle-owned reuse platform, Loop.
Returnable drink cups – specifically for hot beverages – are on the menu at six McDonald’s restaurants in and around the Northampton area, as part of the fast-food chain’s sustainability strategy.
The idea of using returnable drink cups is to encourage less waste and cut down on single-use packaging.
To access the scheme, consumers put down a £1 deposit and receive a Loop cup. They will receive a 20p discount on their purchase for choosing what is deemed a greener option, and get their deposit money back once they return the cup.
There are Loop-branded collection bins at participating restaurants. Once collected, the used cups are sent away away for cleaning so they can be brought back into circulation.
Using the bins will also result in customers receiving 20p off their next medium hot drink order.
The scheme is running in McDonald’s sites located at Northampton’s St James’ Retail Park, Riverside Retail Park, The Derry and Weston Favell Shopping Centre, as well as restaurants in London Road and Wilby Way Roundabout, Wellingborough.
Beth Hart, vice president for supply chain & brand trust at McDonald’s, said: the restaurant chain was “on a journey to revolutionise the way we package products to give customers the sustainable solutions they want”.
She added: “This partnership builds on our packaging and recycling strategy, which switches to more sustainable materials and aims to help our customers to recycle and reuse.
“We want to help customers to save more and waste less. So, to help do our collective bit in reducing the amount of single use coffee cups going to recycling or landfill, customers can now choose a returnable hot drink cup through the drive-thru, kiosks and front counter in these restaurants – and save money in the process.”
McDonald’s said the cups are made from previous single-use coffee cups by circular design brand Circular&Co.
Stephen Clarke, head of communications for Loop in the UK, said: “We hope it paves the way for reusables to become an accessible option for consumers as they enjoy their meal on the go.”
Loop said it undertakes a scientific clean of the cups at its local bespoke facility, which was built in conjunction with cleaning business EcoLab and logistics provider DHL.
Read more about fast food chains’ eco initiatives on Green Retail World
[Image credit: McDonald’s]
