McDonald's Taiwan scraps plastic lamination and paper boxes

台灣麥當勞不再使用塑膠層封膜和紙盒

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — McDonald's Taiwan said Tuesday it has removed plastic lining from its packaging and is switching to paper wrappers.

Starting this month, Big Macs, Filet-O-Fish, Chicken McNuggets, and apple pies will be served in paper wrappers or bags instead of boxes to reduce waste, per CNA. The new packaging is free of plastic lamination.

The fast food chain began testing the change in October 2024 at two “Green Concept Restaurants.” Four more locations joined the trial in March.

After three years of research and testing, McDonald’s is rolling out the packaging nationwide this month. The switch reduces paper pulp usage and replaces plastic lining with starch-based or silicone alternatives.

The firm estimates the change could save around 10,000 trees per year. Eliminating plastic lamination is expected to cut 86 metric tonnes of plastic annually.

In addition, over 200 McDonald’s locations in Taiwan have introduced reusable dine-in cups to curb single-use waste.

KFC said it already wraps all burgers in paper, using boxes only for special promotions. It has replaced plastic lids with sealed film and introduced reusable cups at 66 locations, with more to come.

Burger King uses paper wrappers for most burgers, with boxes reserved for select items like chicken fries and online-exclusive meals. It also uses sealed film instead of lids and gives a NT$5 (17 cents) discount to customers who bring reusable cups.