If you’ve recently visited McDonald's and enjoyed breakfast or a dessert, you might have noticed a change in the cutlery provided. The fast food chain
If you’ve recently visited McDonald’s and enjoyed breakfast or a dessert, you might have noticed a change in the cutlery provided. The fast food chain has swapped its plastic forks, knives, and spoons for eco-friendly wooden alternatives in a significant move towards sustainability.
Dubbed “the great retirement,” McDonald’s made the announcement on January 21, explaining that this change is part of its broader efforts to reduce environmental impact. Benjamin Boh, the managing director of McDonald’s Singapore, stated: “While saying goodbye to plastic cutlery feels like the end of an era, our customers can continue to enjoy their favourite meals with new wooden utensils that are kinder to the planet.”
The shift, which started in October 2024 and was fully implemented by December 2024, is set to reduce the use of plastic by an estimated 26 million cutlery items annually, which equates to a reduction of around 250,000 kilograms of plastic waste (the equivalent weight of 125 electric cars).
This move is just one of many sustainability actions taken by McDonald’s. In 2021, the chain introduced strawless cup lids, eliminating 57 million plastic straws each year. In addition, they transitioned to paper packaging for salads and introduced bio-based, renewable linings for some of their food wrappers in 2024.
Looking ahead, McDonald’s has pledged to continue its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, with several more sustainability initiatives planned for 2025, in alignment with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030.
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