HomeEconomyDisposable tableware despite the ban: fast food chains respond to Zero Waste

Disposable tableware despite the ban: fast food chains respond to Zero Waste

According to Zero Waste France, more than half of fast food restaurants do not respect the ban on disposable tableware. The brands in question dispute the allegations.

Theoretically, plastic cups or cardboard boxes no longer exist in fast food restaurants. Since January 1, disposable tableware is prohibited in catering for table service under the anti-waste law. However, the environmental association Zero Waste France pointed the finger at several fast food brands, accusing them of not respecting the ban. According to the organization, more than half of the fast food outlets visited by its activists were still serving meals in disposable containers.

restricted space

Asked by BFM Business, KFC France confirmed that reusable tableware had not been rolled out in all of its restaurants on January 1, the date the measure came into force. The deployment of reusable containers will be done “gradually throughout the year”, explained the brand, mentioning in particular “the operational difficulties encountered in the context of the tests carried out”. “We are committed to equipping all of our restaurants with the ability to insource tableware management by the end of the year,” the company said.

On the part of McDonalds, we “strongly” contest the figure proposed by Zero Waste France. The environmental association estimated that one in four McDonald’s restaurants still uses disposable tableware. Much less, according to McDonald’s: the brand claims that more than 90% of its restaurants in France were equipped with reusable tableware as of January 1, 2023. The rest of the establishments have had difficulties deploying these new containers on time, such as the which had already indicated the American company at the end of last year.

“In full transparency, we have shared with the authorities the list of restaurants that need more time to find another solution, obtain a building permit, etc.,” the company told BFM Business, specifying that these are mainly downtown restaurants. from cities and shopping centers due to “very limited space in the kitchen”.

180,000 tons

Reusable tableware is a heavy conversion for fast food, which is based on disposable tableware. In many restaurants it was necessary to push the walls to install the necessary equipment for washing and storing reusable containers, adapted to the large volumes of fast food, but also to make significant investments to purchase these containers and equipment. Until now, fast food generated 180,000 tons of packaging that was thrown away immediately after use.

Author: bruno jeremy
Source: BFM TV

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