McDonald's is removing all single-use plastic packaging across its salad ranges this week. The plastic will be replaced with sustainably sourced cardboard containers.
The fast food chain is also removing plastic lids from its McFlurry ice-creams.
McDonald's is one of many businesses taking action on plastic pollution by making such changes, but the company's Supply Chain Director with the UK and Ireland, Beth Hart, said it has "a long way to go in removing plastic from our total business".
"While these are significant moves, there is still a considerable amount of plastic within our offer. We are constantly looking for ways to develop new packaging, new products and new solutions, and ensure that everything we supply to our customers is at very least recyclable," she said.
Sustainable packaging is no longer a trend but an expectation for consumers, and McDonald's felt the pressure from customers to become more environmentally-friendly.
"Packaging and plastic has rocketed right up our customers agenda, and indeed, our own business agenda," Ms Hart said. "It's something we have been working on for quite some time.
She said the business is around supplying customers with food that they can access and eat quickly, and to meet customer demands on sustainability. "We are almost having to look at ways to redesign our whole customer experience to design packaging out of our business".
Last week, KFC introduced a vegan alternative to its chicken burger. McDonald's has no definite plan to introduce a vegan option on its menu, but it has been surprised by the success of its veggie wrap which it introduced in January.
"In fact, its performance has totally exceeded our expectations," Ms Hart said. "It is highly likely that we will look to increase our vegetarian options across our product offer, so watch this space, there is definitely more to come."
Irish farmers do not have reason to worry, she also stated. McDonald's sources all of its beef from over 900 Irish farmers.
"We use around 2,500 tonnes of Irish beef a year to make our beef burgers. They are 100% Irish beef. Our business in Ireland is growing. We have 93 restaurants. Business is going well for us and that means we are selling a lot of burgers. That means our Irish farmers have nothing, quite frankly, to worry about," Ms Hart said.
The fast food chain is automating parts of its service. It has touch screen self-order kiosks, but this will not result in job losses according to Ms Hart.
"That has not resulted in any reduction in labour in any of our restaurants," she said.
"What you should find when you are in restaurants, certainly the new swankier ones, is that there are more of our colleagues and crew members out on the floor, helping customers using the kiosk, helping people get table service, just enhancing the whole customer experience, so less action behind the scenes and more action front stage, to make sure people enjoy their experience at McDonald's."
