McDonald’s is trialling a new environmental initiative which ditches plastic containers and replaces them with edible pots made from grass.

The fast food giant has launched a 10-day popup store called the ‘Better McDonald’s Store’ in locations around Germany, which began in Berlin in June. 

Edible waffle cups replace condiment sachets and containers, sandwiches are wrapped in packaging made from grass and Chicken McNuggets are served in paper bags, rather than cardboard boxes.

The stores also feature wooden cutlery, paper straws and ditch all single-use plastic. The move anticipates the impending EU single-use plastic ban, which comes into effect in 2021.

“Normally, McDonald’s goes out with perfect solutions. This time we said, ‘We don’t have perfect solutions yet… please help us!’” Diana Wicht, Sustainability Department Head for McDonald’s Germany, explained.

The idea isn’t to make every sustainable packaging change at once. Instead, it is to work out what works and what doesn’t by speaking to customers, the company announced.

McDonald’s doesn’t plan to roll the plastic-free products out yet, but is using the stores as a test run as the company aims to reduce its huge environmental impact. 

And the new additions were a hit with customers. “The response to the Better McDonald’s Store and sustainable packaging efforts was very positive,” the company said in a statement.

“The grass wrapper was a hit in terms of eco-friendliness and ease of use. Many people felt the edible waffle cups were a good alternative to the current sauce and dip sachets and containers.”

However, many customers complained about difficulty using the paper straws and about a ‘woody’ taste using the new cutlery. 

McDonald’s stores in Germany have already ditched plastic cups for hot drinks, while in the UK the company has removed plastic lids for McFlurry products, saving 383 tonnes of plastic a year. 

• Read: ‘Recyclable’ Starbucks lids could be even worse for the environment

Has McDonald’s gone far enough with its environmental policies? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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