In order to reduce packaging waste, McDonald's is continuously testing innovative alternatives. Now, for the first time, the company is selling a burger in grass-fed paper and says it's saving nearly 70 percent in packaging material with this change alone.
With the Deutschlandburger (German burger), McDonald's Germany wraps a premium burger in grass paper instead of putting it into a box. With this change in packaging, the company is stressing its intention to focus more on more sustainable packaging solutions in the future. In addition to the Deutschlandburger, McWraps are also available wrapped in grass paper.
100 % sustainable packaging by 2025
The packaging changeover is part of the roadmap to reduce plastic and packaging waste. By 2025, all sales packaging is to be made from 100 percent renewable, recycled or certified materials. "As the market's leading restaurant chain, we want to play an active role in shaping the path towards reducing plastic and packaging waste. For example, we will use less packaging material in the future and serve more and more burgers in alternative packaging, such as innovative wrap paper," said Holger Beeck, CEO, McDonald's Germany LLC.
Thanks to innovative processes and the inclusion of grass fibres in the paper, large amounts of energy, water and CO2 can be saved in production. In addition, no chemicals are used in the production of the pulp. The grass paper used by McDonald's contains a grass content of 20 percent, is FSC-licensed and does not require long transport routes. It comes from existing grass areas and thus, according to the company, does not compete with other possible uses. The conversion of the packaging for the Deutschlandburger to grass paper reduces the packaging material by almost 70 percent.
