The ‘complex reality’ of reusable packaging in Europe

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Introduction

This Brief summarizes the main points of the McDonald’s report analyzing the environmental, financial and operational impacts of introducing reusable packaging in some of its European restaurants. Through several scenarios, the report outlines potential impacts including GHG emissions, water consumption, customer experience and the average number of uses for the reusable packaging modelled.

Key Takeaways

• The single-use packaging modelled is designed for recycling and primarily fibre-based, drawing on McDonald’s existing single-use packaging portfolio in Europe.
• The reusable scenarios involved restaurants in France, The Netherlands and Germany, with reusable packaging being mandatory for dine-in only (France); all dine-in drinks and the McFlurry served in reusable cups, with a single-use or reusable cup option for takeoutorders (The Netherlands), and single-use or reusable cups for both dine-in and takeout drinks, the McFlurry and the sundae with a deposit return scheme (Germany).
• The 2030 scenario estimated the potential impact of the EU PPWR requirement to offer reusable packaging for takeout, analyzing the effects of using reusable packaging for 10% of menu items sold for takeout.
• McDonald’s claims that reusable packaging had an ‘overall negative environmental impact’ when compared to single-use packaging and implemented against the EU PPWR requirements in 2030. In some scenarios, the company says that plastic waste increased due to shifting from fibre-based single-use packaging to reusable packaging made entirely from plastic. Under Scenario 2030, McDonald’s says that “over 100 uses” of a reusable packaging item are needed to achieve a breakeven on plastic waste.
• Financial analysis revealed on-site washing could have a lower cost per item but requires investment in remodelling restaurants to install washing facilities. Off-site washing facilities and distribution to and from the restaurant may not be practical or available, the company says.
• Regarding operations, McDonald’s claims that introducing reusable packaging ‘significantly impacts’ restaurant operations and requires new processes to manage food safety.

Conclusion

McDonald’s concludes that the widespread implementation of reusables would typically increase plastic waste and GHG emissions compared to fibre-based single-use packaging. McDonald’s recommends “evidence-based information” about the impact of reusable packaging in the foodservice sector - including customer behaviour on returning reusables and the environmental and economic impacts of widespread use - should be considered before restaurants are legally required to invest in implementing reusable packaging.

McDonald’s Corporation recently released a report detailing its opinions on the potential environmental, financial and operational impacts of introducing reusable packaging in some of its European restaurants. The company commissioned PwC UK to analyze the impacts of single-use and reusable packaging scenarios based on McDonald’s experience in certain European countries. In this edition of the Brief, we outline each scenario and highlight McDonald’s’ key claims, giving crucial insights into the world’s largest fast food chain’s opinions on reusable packaging.

The single-use scenario

In this scenario, all packaging items are single-use, designed for recycling and primarily fibre-based, based on McDonald’s existing single-use packaging portfolio in Europe. The company says that 95.2% of its global primary guest packaging in Europe is sourced from renewable, recycled or certified materials.

The reusable scenarios

For Scenario A in France, reusable packaging is mandatory for dine-in only, with fibre wraps permitted for all sandwiches and burgers. The average number of uses for reusable packaging items is 33.9.

In the Netherlands for Scenario B, all dine-in drinks and the McFlurry are served in reusable cups. For takeout, customers can choose a reusable cup (with a deposit return scheme, which can be returned to any McDonald’s restaurant in the Netherlands) or a single-use cup. The observed average number of uses is 3.4 for dine-in and 1.5 for takeout.

Scenario C in Germany offers customers single-use or reusable cups for both dine-in and takeout drinks, the McFlurry and the sundae (with a deposit return scheme). The observed average number of uses is 2.6 for dine-in and takeout.

Lastly, in scenario 2030 - to estimate the potential impact of the EU PPWR requirement to offer reusable packaging for takeout - the analysis models the effects of using reusable packaging for 10% of menu items sold for takeout. According to the report, the average number of uses modelled (2.6) is based on the observed number of uses in Scenario C where reusables have been offered since 2022.

The impact of reusable versus single-use packaging is ‘highly dependent’ on multiple factors including the average number of uses, materials used, type of packaging items, size and weight of packaging items, the recycling rate of single-use packaging and on-site versus off-site processes for washing reusable packaging.

McDonald’s adds that for recycling rates, each scenario modelled uses the same end-of-life assumptions rather than country-specific rates or McDonald’s-specific results in that country. It assumed 80% of fibre-based guest packaging waste for dine-in will be disposed of in the restaurant and estimated that 46% is recycled.

Environmental impact

The report claims that introducing reusable packaging in McDonald’s restaurants ‘does not achieve an overall positive impact’ compared to single-use packaging, with the impact areas and scenarios modelled. When reusables are offered for dine-in and takeout in McDonald’s restaurants, the company says that plastic waste from guest packaging increases, due to the shift from McDonald’s fibre-based single-use packaging to reusable packaging made entirely from plastic.

Compared to single-use packaging and when implemented against the EU PPWR requirements in 2030, the analysis reports an overall negative environmental impact of reusable packaging. This apparently impacts over 6,900 McDonald’s restaurants in the EU.

According to the report, under Scenario 2030 over 100 uses of a reusable packaging item are needed to achieve a breakeven on plastic waste.

With 10% of menu items served in reusables for takeout, GHG emissions reportedly increase by 61% per restaurant per year and water consumption increases by 15% compared to the Single-use scenario - but the results show varying reductions for Scenarios A, B and C.

Financial and operational impact

Financially, analysis found that on-site washing could have a lower cost per item but requires investment in remodelling restaurants to install washing facilities. Washing may need to be done off-site, as some restaurants will have physical constraints; however, off-site washing facilities and distribution to and from the restaurant may not be practical or available.

The report also claims that introducing reusable packaging ‘significantly impacts’ restaurant operations and requires new processes to manage food safety. Restaurants require larger spaces for storage of sturdy plastic reusables in comparison to compact fibre packaging, and washing and drying facilities.

When it comes to customer experiences, McDonald’s says reusable packaging adds complexity, as additional collection points and processes are required to enable customers to return used packaging without disrupting the customer journey and speed of service.

The company cautions that incentives may not drive adequate returns. McDonalds comments:

“In Scenario B and C, where customers can choose reusable or single-use packaging, deposit systems are in place and we are experiencing a low number of returns among customers who choose reusables.”

Recommendations for implementing reusables

With these findings in mind, the report alleges that compared to fibre-based single-use packaging, the widespread implementation of reusables will typically increase plastic waste and GHG emissions. Positive environmental impacts would require reuse rates that ‘far exceed’ those currently observed, also requiring significant changes in customer behaviour.

McDonald’s concludes that:

“Based on evidence presented in this report (and others), legislation mandating or incentivizing reusable packaging could lead to negative environmental and economic consequences. Before foodservice restaurant operators are compelled by law to make investments to implement reusable packaging (and associated washing and return systems), evidence-based information about the impact of reusable packaging in the sector – including customer behaviour on returning reusables and the associated environmental and economic impacts of more widespread use – should be taken into account.”

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