Inside new ‘sustainable’ McDonald’s restaurants opening across France where nuggets are served in reusable bowls and soda in washable cups – and why bosses do NOT want to bring them to America

Sustainability laws in France have forced McDonald’s to serve chicken nuggets in hard plastic white bowls, its famous fries in red durable containers, and soda in clear, washable glasses.

But the fast food giant has no interest in introducing them in the United States and considers reusable packaging “problematic”, arguing that it is inconvenient for customers and even worse for the environment.

In France, McDonald’s is required by law to provide durable packaging instead of using its iconic packaging to reduce waste.

A US shareholder advocacy group has called on the company to consider the benefits of bringing reusable containers to America, according to a report Wall Street Journal.

However, the head of international government relations at McDonald’s opposed this and does not want France to become a model for other countries in the world.

Sustainability laws in France have forced McDonald’s to serve chicken nuggets in hard plastic white bowls, its famous fries in red durable containers, and soda in clear, washable glasses.

In France, McDonald’s is required by law to provide durable packaging instead of using its iconic packaging to reduce waste.

But the fast food giant has no interest in introducing them in the United States and considers reusable packaging “problematic”, arguing that it is inconvenient for customers and even worse for the environment.

For those dining at McDonald’s restaurants in France, fries are served in a durable red container, soda is served in a clear, washable glass, and nuggets are served in a white, hard plastic bowl.

When they finish eating, they throw the packaging into the trash, where it is then washed, dried and reused.

There are 21 different cups, French fries containers and bowls in different sizes.

McDonald’s has always used disposable packaging to ensure order flow and reduce utility and labor costs.

The French law has proven costly and complex for McDonald’s, with some of its restaurants still failing to comply with a deadline later this year.

The fast food giant is concerned that other countries around the world may follow France’s example.

“We don’t want France to be a model because we firmly believe that it doesn’t work,” said McDonald’s head of international government affairs Serge Tynes. “It’s very problematic.”

McDonald’s faces proposed laws that would require reusable packaging or ban single-use plastics in countries including Portugal, Sweden and Poland.

While Germany and the Netherlands already have to comply with laws offering reusable cups to those who ask and pay a deposit.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a US shareholder advocacy group has called on the company to consider the benefits of bringing reusable containers to America.

However, the head of international government relations at McDonald’s has opposed this and does not want France to be a model for other countries in the world.

Tynes weighed in with McDonald’s ahead of a vote on a proposed Europe-wide law that would require fast food restaurants to offer reusable containers to customers who eat them and develop a method for washing and drying them.

The proposal was dropped last month following strong backlash from the food industry.

McDonald’s has been working on an alternative to single-use plastic and trialling plastic-free cups.

The company told lawmakers it primarily uses paper packaging for its food products.

However, environmentalists and waste managers argue that the shift from single-use plastics to paper, when used for food, is difficult to recycle and is leading to waste problems.

At one McDonald’s restaurant in Paris, the company installed a powerful dishwasher that cleans reusable containers in just two minutes and dries them in the same amount of time.

Consumers are also asked to pour liquids into one opening and throw food into another. At the same time, there is a third place for disposable packaging and a fourth for reusable plates and cups.

McDonald’s reports that about 92 percent of its reusable containers are returned and used an average of 29 times before they are damaged, thrown away or taken away by customers.

It claims that using reusable containers will lead to more plastic packaging waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

But the non-profit organization Zero Waste Europe argues that reusable systems could reduce emissions if they are better designed.

The fast food chain recently ditched the plastic McFlurry spoon in an effort to “help save the environment.”

McDonald’s is lobbying for the company to continue using paper packaging, which it says can be recycled.