It’s already way ahead of the game in the marketing stakes, now Burger King is also working hard on its environmental credentials, unveiling plans for reusable packaging.
The plan will start as a trial at select restaurants in New York, Portland and Tokyo, but, if successful, will have more cities added to the list. Nothing in Australia has yet been announced.
Customers need to opt in to be involved in the project that will include pakaging for menu items such as burgers, soft drinks and coffee. The customer then returns the reusable containers or cup to be cleaned and reused.
However, those who do will be charged a small deposit upon purchase, and once the packaging is returned to the restaurant, they’ll receive a refund.
The project is a JV with TerraCycle’s zero-waste delivery platform, Loop. The company’s CEO Tom Szaky commented: “During Covid, we have seen the environmental impact of increased takeaway ordering which makes this initiative by Burger King all the more important.”
Matthew Banton, head of innovation and sustainability at Burger King, added: “We’re investing in the development of sustainable packaging solutions that will help push the food service industry forward in reducing packaging waste.
“The Loop system gives us the confidence in a reusable solution that meets our high safety standards, while also offering convenience for our guests on the go.”
The burger giant has admirably tried to up its environmental game recently. And, understandably so, given its young customer base and emissions footprint.
Back in July it released an all-dancing, all-yodelling TVC in the US market that came with the message the brand was serious about the impact cows’ (later to be hamburger patties) flatulence had on the environment.
The spot – which you can watch below – quoted data from the University Of California and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México that claimed by simply adding 100 grams of lemongrass to a cows’ daily diet you could reduce methane emissions from bovine flatulence by as much as a third.
Unfortunately for the fast food company, as many farmers and scientists quickly pointed out, both of those assertions proved problematic and the campaign was pulled.
The ad was initially called out by Professor Frank Mitloehner from the Department of Animal Science at the University of California.
Mitloehner tweeted: “IT’S. NOT. THE. COW. FARTS” and went on to explain, “Nearly all enteric methane from cattle is from belching. Suggesting otherwise turns this serious climate topic into a joke.”
