McDonald’s and Loop join forces on reusable coffee cup pilot
Customers can opt to have their hot drink in a returnable Loop cup for a £1 deposit. They will receive a 20p discount on their purchase as a reward. Customers are asked to return their cup to one of the Loop-branded collection bins at participating restaurants after they have enjoyed it so that it may be cleaned and reused.
Patrons who do so will earn 20p off their next medium hot drink order – meaning that after five returns and subsequent orders, they will break even and will receive 20p off every time they choose a Loop cup.
The programme is offered at restaurants and drive-through windows. Customers can hire a cup for the duration of their stay and return it whenever it is convenient for them. If a client forgets their cup on a subsequent visit, they can pay another £1 deposit and return both cups the next time.
Circular design brand Circular&Co used existing single-use coffee cups to create the cups. The packs contain engineered polypropylene (PP) plastic, which is sturdy and easy to clean, but the quantity of plastic used in the outer insulating layer has been decreased by utilising recycled paper cup material.
This not only saves material but also provides the cups a distinct look and feel. The reusable cups are then recycled when they reach the end of their useful life, with the resultant material being utilised to produce the next batch of reusable cups.
McDonald’s claims that during the previous several years, it has saved over 4000 tonnes of plastic each year by eliminating plastic Happy Meal toys and converting from plastic straws, McFlurry lids, and salad boxes to “more sustainable choices.”
The firm claims that over 90% of its packaging is made from recycled or renewable materials, and it is trying to improve that percentage.
Wherever feasible, the Group intends to avoid using plastic, and where it must use it for safety or functional reasons, it will only use 100 percent recycled or plant-based polymers, according to the company.
McDonald’s also wants to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or biodegradable, reducing the amount of garbage that must be disposed of in landfills.
