Planet-friendly fun: McDonald’s targets virgin plastic reduction in Happy Meal toys worldwide

21 Sep 2021 --- McDonald’s has launched an initiative to reduce virgin fossil fuel-based plastic in its Happy Meal toys by 90% worldwide by the end of 2025. The fast-food giant will transition to more renewable, recycled or certified materials for toys. 

“Our next generation of customers care deeply about protecting the planet and what we can do to help make our business more sustainable. We’re always exploring where we can drive greater impact, including the transformation of beloved icons like the Happy Meal,” says Jenny McColloch, McDonald’s chief sustainability officer. 

Rethinking playtime
The new Happy Meal toys will continue to enable interactive play with games the whole family can enjoy, customizable crafts to unleash imagination, and build-your-own construction to instill a sense of pride in playtime. 

“Fan-favorite movie characters that used to be plastic figurines may reappear as 3D figures that can be built and decorated, and Illumination’s Minions can still create mischief and mayhem,” says McDonald’s. 

In other instances, like board games, virgin fossil fuel-based plastic game pieces may be swapped out in favor of accessories made from certified plant-derived or recycled materials. 

Also aiming to make playtime more environmentally sustainable, Lego unveiled bricks made from recycled PET bottles this June.

Recycled toys were used to create an outdoor playground in the garden of Ronald McDonald House in Oxford, UK.Fossil fuel-based plastic reductions
Happy Meal toy innovations already underway in markets around the world such as the UK, Ireland and France have resulted in a 30% reduction in virgin fossil fuel-based plastic use since 2018.

Beyond the toys’ composition, the business has also explored recycling old toys into new restaurant trays, and replacing plastic wrappers on the toys with new plant-based and premium certified fiber packaging.

“By reducing conventional virgin plastic inputs by a projected 90%, the re-imagined toys will reduce the demand on fossil fuel plastic production to instead create new markets for responsibly sourced renewable and recycled content,” comments Sheila Bonini, senior vice president, private sector engagement at World Wildlife Fund. 

“Through its immense reach of these toys, McDonald’s can engage its millions of daily customers around the world in the transition to a more sustainable, circular future,” she concludes.

Ditching virgin-based plastic from its menu, McDonald’s Germany trialed a switch to paper wrapping in August, and piloted a reusable coffee cup scheme in England this July.

Edited by Anni Schleicher