McDonald’s Finland has introduced fibre-based lids for beverages, moving ahead of its 2025 schedule.
This initiative is part of a broader commitment to reduce plastic usage across its operations.
By the end of 2025, all McDonald’s outlets in Finland will serve drinks with moulded fibre lids, applicable to both hot and cold beverages.
This change is in line with the company’s global strategy to eliminate the use of fossil-based plastics.
The adoption of fibre lids is projected to reduce plastic consumption by about 59,000kg each year while also lowering carbon emissions.
The fibre-based lids are produced by Huhtamäki, a Finnish packaging company, and feature an innovative click-fit function for a secure seal.
These lids are home compostable and recyclable, consistent with Huhtamäki’s commitment to sustainability.
McDonald’s Finland is said to have been actively reducing plastic in its packaging for several years.
In 2018, the company replaced plastic lids on McFlurry cups with cardboard porridge cups.
By 2020, McDonald’s Finland had introduced cardboard milkshake cups and salad containers, and in March 2021, it replaced plastic straws with paper ones.
The fibre-based packaging used by McDonald’s Finland is made from recycled materials or sourced from certified forests, ensuring that all sales packaging is designed to be recyclable.
McDonald’s Finland CEO Olli Johansson said: “McDonald’s goal is for all packaging to come from renewable, recycled, and certified materials before the end of 2025.”
In February 2024, McDonald’s teamed up with Japanese manga artist Acky Bright to create manga-inspired packaging for anime fans.
This initiative was part of the company’s new campaign, WcDonald’s, an anime version of McDonald’s, which was launched in the US and over 30 other markets in February 2024.
