Burger King restaurants are striving to minimise their environmental impact worldwide. To this end, they are trialling a new reusable packaging material that can reduce packaging waste. As part of its „Restaurant Brands for Good“ programme, Burger King is working with TerraCycle's Loop packaging service. The aim is to trial a closed-loop system with waste-free packaging that can be safely cleaned and reused.
The future of fast food packaging ...
... is reusable. At least that's the idea that the burger chain wants to test for practicality together with the TerraCycle packaging service Loop from 2021. The first step is to test how well the Whopper, soft drink or coffee can be ordered and reused in reusable packaging in selected shops in New York City, Portland and Tokyo in 2021.
Participating restaurants will have a collection system where diners can return packaging to be safely cleaned and reused via Loop. Those who opt for the reusable packaging will have to pay a deposit at the time of purchase and will receive a refund when they return the packaging.
A challenge during a pandemic
The partnership with Loop complies with strict safety regulations in terms of cleanliness and hygiene. Two points that have naturally become even more urgent due to the current pandemic. Loop's cleaning systems have been developed to sanitise food containers and cups. They are therefore hygienically cleaned and safely stored before each use.
„In this way, consumers can easily integrate the reusability of Burger King packaging into their daily lives. Whether they eat in or opt for takeaway, shoppers will be able to get some of their favourite food and drink in a reusable container.“.
But the project needs supporters
To bring about meaningful change, Burger King also knows that they can't do it alone. As part of the global Loop partnership, they are also working with Kraft-Heinz and other brands. They share insights, expertise and resources to support the future of the project.
The pilot project will contribute to the sustainability strategy of Burger King restaurants by building on existing commitments to reduce the company's environmental footprint and support the sustainable production of packaging materials. By 2025, 100% of guest packaging is to come from renewable, recycled or certified sources. In addition to working to reduce the use of virgin materials and single-use packaging, the restaurant chain is also taking on the challenge of improving waste diversion by committing to recycle 100% of guest packaging in its restaurants in Canada and the US by 2025.
