McDonald’s Japan will no longer use paper straws from November

McDonald’s Japan introduced paper straws in 2022 due to concerns about plastic waste, but they proved unpopular with customers because they became soggy and soft. With that in mind, the fast-food chain decided to stop using paper straws at about 3,000 stores across the country. From November 19, it will launch a new lid design made from 100% recycled PET recycled bottles. They open easily and prevent leaks while carrying them, according to the company’s website.

Single-use plastic straws take 200 years to break down into microplastics, according to WWF

McDonald’s Japan’s new lid design gets mixed reactions

Reaction to the news was mixed on social media. “Finally,” said one X user. “However, a lot of people want straws for various physical reasons. Since paper straws don’t taste good, please provide plastic straws to those who need straws… Since the lids are plastic, I hope companies can be flexible on this.” Another wrote: “I don’t like this. I hope to go back to the original plastic straws. Kids will definitely spill the drinks. This sounds like a lot of stress for parents. Milkshakes will still come with straws, though, right?”

reusable bag

Also starting from November 19, all McDonald’s stores across the country will switch to shopping bags made of 95% biomass plastic. The bags will first be rolled out in 23 stores in Nagasaki Prefecture (excluding only the Sasebo base store) starting in May 2025. Its durability and usability have proven to be comparable to previously used bags made from 50% biomass plastic. While this enables customers to contribute to reducing environmental impact without imposing additional burdens, McDonald’s Japan still asks customers not to use bags where possible or to opt for simplified packaging to further reduce environmental impact.

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