McDonald’s bosses vow to step up efforts to combat litter as they join UK clean-up campaign

• Fast-food chain backs anti-litter drive after 2,500 staff got involved last year
• But bosses admit they still have work to do to become more clean-up friendly
• Keep Britain Tidy survey showed fast-food-related waste contributes to 33 per cent of rubbish

McDonald’s has admitted it has ‘lots more to do’ in the fight against litter as it backed the Great British Spring Clean.

Britain’s biggest fast-food chain said it was ‘delighted’ to get behind the campaign – run by Keep Britain Tidy and supported by the Daily Mail – after 2,500 staff got involved last year.

The UK arm of the American company organised 243 Great British Spring Clean litter-pick events across its franchises last year.

This time, the firm hopes to ‘grow those numbers’ and contribute to the one million volunteers the Mail is hoping to get signed up.

Analysis of branded items found on UK beaches revealed that McDonald’s accounted for 6 per cent of all litter last year

But McDonald’s admits it still has work to do to become more sustainable, after facing criticism for fuelling the litter crisis on Britain’s streets.

A Keep Britain Tidy survey published in 2018 revealed fast-food-related waste contributed to 33 per cent of rubbish at sites across the country. 

And last year, analysis of branded items found on UK beaches revealed that McDonald’s accounted for 6 per cent of all litter – with 1,196 pieces of McDonald’s waste picked up across 229 beach cleans.

The company does arrange regular collections around its premises but much of the packaging is dumped further afield as customers take their food away.

A statement on the fast food chain’s website reads: ‘We’ve made big progress so far, but we know there’s lots more to do.’ 

A spokesman said: ‘At McDonald’s we are proud to be supporting the Great British Spring Clean once again this year.’

The campaign has also received the backing of Boris Johnson along with 180 MPs – representing more than a quarter of the House of Commons.

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