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Tag: straws

  • Aldi removes single-use plastic straws from its product range

    Aldi removes single-use plastic straws from its product range

    Aldi, the multinational retail giant, has taken a significant step towards environmental sustainability by eliminating single-use plastic straws from its product line. This move aligns with the recycled soft plastics program led by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Soft Plastics Taskforce, which is prevalent in many large supermarkets.

    Aldi’s Environmental Commitment

    The decision to phase out single-use plastic straws is expected to prevent millions of these items from contributing to landfill waste and water pollution. Daniel Baker, Aldi Australia’s director of sustainability, voiced the company’s ongoing commitment to making positive changes for the environment. He highlighted how actions such as these serve as a testament to Aldi’s continuous efforts to improve the planet.

    Aldi’s dedication to environmental sustainability extends beyond this recent change. The company has also pledged to replace single-use plastic tableware in its staple and seasonal product offerings with paper alternatives. This strategy will result in an estimated reduction of 46 million plastic items annually.

    Previous Initiatives

    Aldi’s decision to eliminate plastic straws follows a series of eco-friendly initiatives introduced in 2021. Last year, the supermarket chain ceased the use of plastic straws in its juice boxes and popper cartons, substituting them with paper straws. This move led to the elimination of 70 million plastic straws.

    Industry-Wide Changes

    Aldi is not alone in its efforts to promote environmental sustainability in the retail industry. Fellow supermarket chain Coles has also stopped selling single-use plastic tableware products, opting for FSC-certified and reusable alternatives instead.

    Questions & Answers

    **What is Aldi’s latest initiative to reduce plastic waste?**
    Aldi’s most recent effort to decrease plastic waste is the elimination of single-use plastic straws from its product line.

    **What other changes has Aldi made towards environmental sustainability?**
    In addition to removing single-use plastic straws, Aldi has also pledged to replace single-use plastic tableware with paper options in their staple and seasonal product ranges.

    **Are other supermarkets making similar changes?**
    Yes, Coles, another major supermarket chain, has also stopped selling single-use plastic tableware, choosing to use FSC-certified and reusable options instead.

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  • McDonald’s takes action on plastic straws

    McDonald’s takes action on plastic straws

    Soon, diners will have to request a straw if they want one. And it might be paper.

    It is rare that we have happy news from the fast food sector, but McDonald’s has made a pleasing new promise to tackle plastic waste. It appears the company is taking a two-pronged approach.

    First, two test locations in London, England, will be phasing out plastic straws entirely. Starting in May this year, the straws in these two restaurants will be replaced by paper versions made with recycled content.

    Second, and arguably much more importantly, all 1,300 McDonald’s restaurants in the United Kingdom will start handing out straws only upon request. Paul Pomroy, head of McDonald’s UK, told:

    “Customers have told us that they don’t want to just be given a straw, they want to have to ask for one, because straws [are] one of those things that people feel passionately about, and rightly so. We’re now moving those straws behind the front counter, so if you come into McDonalds going forward, starting next month, you’re going to be asked if you want a straw.”

    It might seem like a minuscule change, but the act of having to ask for a straw will force people to think, even for just a few seconds, about whether or not they really need such a product, and that’s likely to make a dent in consumption.

    Pomroy also pointed out that the fast food chain has been working toward fully-recyclable packaging. So far it’s at 80 percent, and dealing with the straw issue will help address the remaining gap. No more foam or polystyrene boxes are handed out.

    That being said, I wish McDonald’s would rethink the contents of its Happy Meals and those infernal plastic toys that either break quickly or lack imagination and end up kicking around the house for years — or, as fellow writer Sami pointed out to me, the dreaded balloons. And what about the plastic sachets of condiments? We know those are an enormous source of waste in Asian countries, particularly, so surely there’s a better way to package them (or, rather, not package them). As I reported last fall:

    “The most common trash item found on the beach was sachets, the little plastic-and-aluminum packets that are widely used in poverty-stricken areas of the world (particularly Asia) to sell food items, condiments, personal care products and toiletries, even drinking water. The minimal packaging makes items cheaper, but sachets are not recyclable. “

    McDonald’s isn’t the only fast food chain trying to distance itself from single-use plastics. The co-founder of UK chain Leon was so horrified by trash on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia that he “vowed to come back and make a dramatic contribution to end this madness.” Grocery store Iceland has stopped selling straws, and Pizza Express and Wetherspoon have plans to phase them out.

    Wouldn’t it be wonderful for our grandchildren to grow up in a world where straws don’t exist? It’s starting to look like it might be that way.

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