Burger King tests alt-plastic in Miami fast-food packaging, targets 2022 US rollout

04 May 2021 --- Burger King is launching a green packaging pilot program running throughout the year to reduce its environmental footprint. 

Starting today, 51 Burger King company-owned restaurants in Miami, US, will provide plastic alternatives for eight of its most-used, guest-facing items: forks, spoons, knives, straws, drink lids, fry pods, Whopper wrappers and napkins.

The material alternatives include fry pods made with renewable unbleached virgin paperboard, cutlery made with cPLA, a plant-based plastic, and napkins made from fully recycled fiber.

“We intentionally chose to use company restaurants because it gives us the ability to quickly pivot to other green packaging solutions based on guest feedback,” a Burger King spokesperson tells PackagingInsights.

The feedback will then be used to make changes with its supplier and build an implementation roadmap for the system. 

Once the pilot is over, Burger King will tweak its strategy and use guest feedback to inform plans for nationwide sustainable packaging in the next year. It predicts a nationwide rollout of the new packaging in 2022 as part of its sustainable packaging strategy. 

Green pressure from investors
This news arrives as global investors pressure quick service restaurants to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Five out of six fast food brands managing over 100,000 restaurants worldwide are now setting or planning to set ambitious science-based targets (SBTs) aligned with the UN Paris Agreement’s primary goal to keep global warming below 2°C. 

These include McDonald’s, Yum! Brands – owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – Chipotle, Domino’s and Wendy’s, up from just two brands last year (McDonald’s and Yum! Brands).

Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International – who also owns Popeyes and Tim Hortons – also announced it would set a global greenhouse gas target that includes its Scope 3 emissions. However, Science Based Targets initiative approval is still pending. 

“Green packaging is an integral component of the planet pillar under our Restaurant Brands for Good framework,” comments the Burger King spokesperson.

“Knowing that we must be part of the solution, we have work streams in place to address this issue knowing it is increasing in importance with our guests.”

Burger King is partnering with The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz on a reusable packaging trial.A less synthetic look
With a focus on cross-company collaboration, Burger King is also partnering with The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz to bring these initiatives to life. 

The brands will work together to provide insights, packaging expertise and resources on these pilots, helping to maximize future national potential. 

In another move to reposition itself as “less synthetic and artificial,” Burger King recently rebranded its logo and packaging for the first time since 1999.

The aim was for the fast-food chain’s visual presence to be more digital-friendly and aligns with its removal of colors, flavors and preservatives from artificial sources.

Riding the reusability wave
Alongside the restaurant packaging pilot, Burger King is also planning on developing its global partnership with TerraCycle’s Loop to reduce single-use packaging through a reusable packaging model. 

The restaurant chain is looking to include two new cities, Paris and London, in addition to the earlier announced target cities of New York, Portland, and Tokyo. 

“The cities were selected based on where Loop already has an existing infrastructure or will have shortly. Furthermore, we selected cities and regions where we have different restaurant formats to understand the implications to adoption,” says the fast food giant representative.

The Loop trial offers restaurant guests the option to order Burger King brand staples like the Whopper sandwich, soft drink or coffee in reusable sandwich containers or beverage cups.

“Our packaging framework is built around eliminating packaging when possible, shifting to more sustainable materials, and diverting waste from landfills,” states the Burger King spokesperson. 

“As we move toward that future, we are not sure if reusables will be a part of the solution, but we need to test now to be ready.”

By Anni Schleicher