KFC says its goal is to have all plastic-based, consumer-facing packaging be recoverable or reusable by 2025.
The chain says this commitment supports their long-term plan to have a more sustainable packaging in its restaurants.
Another big multi national cave’s in to the plastic waste awareness.
KFC has confirmed that all of it’s consumer focused plastic packaging will be replaced by recoverable or reusable alternatives by 2025.
This fast food chain has commented further saying that this move is part of a long term plan to use more sustainable packaging in it’s restaurant outlets.
As they plan to achieve the goals as early as 2025 KFC has developed a road map in order to form partnerships with key suppliers, product packaging companies and the franchises themselves. This is to help establish viable plastic packaging alternatives in each market sector.
The road map contains initiatives for this including an audit of the current product packaging in place as well as identifying any plastic waste reduction opportunity.
They also want to set market specific goals in order to encourage and create incentive for plastic reduction.
It remains the franchisee themselves responsibility to design and execute their own sustainability program. Many of these will have needs that are unique to their local area and customers. There are also different regulations for different areas.
Sustainability is nothing new to the KFC brand. All of their 84 Singapore based restaurants have been working to get rid of plastic straws and lids for the past 2 year. Their Romanian & French franchises already have targets set to phase out and replace plastic straws & lids. Whilst in India they have already removed all plastic packaging bags from their restaurants.
KFC is a subsidiary of Yum Brands who already have target sourcing commitments for their brands. They want to have 100% fibre based packaging suppliers by 2020. By 2018 they had already achieved 69% of this target.
KFC has more that 22,000 restaurant locations globally. They are a big influence when it comes to encouraging sustainable approaches to packaging in the fast food sector.
These vital changes are a big nod to the question of how seriously they take customer concerns.
Harmonised Packaging Policy
Yum Brands, a big fast-food company overseeing KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, has been making its packaging more eco-friendly. They started this in 2022 with their "harmonised packaging policy," aiming to reduce their environmental impact.
At present, Yum Brands has a challenge. 16% of waste at their restaurants is corrugated cardboard, 18% is paper-based packaging, and 18% is mixed plastics.
Here are some key facts showing Yum Brands' commitment to sustainability:
- Plastic Recycling. Yum Brands is working hard to make 27% of the plastic they use in their packaging easy to recycle. But they're not stopping there. Their big plan is that by 2025, all plastic packages should be something you can use again, recycle, or even put in your compost. They want to cut down on waste and make sure their packages don't harm the environment. It's a big step in being more friendly to our planet.
- Virgin Plastic Reduction. Yum Brands is doing well in cutting down on brand-new plastic. They've already used 6% less since 2020. But they're not stopping there. Their goal is to reduce it even more, by another 10%, by the time 2025 rolls around. This means they're using less plastic that's never been used before, which is good for the environment. They're serious about making their packaging more sustainable.
- Eliminating Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Yum Brands has nearly gotten rid of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in its operations. They set a goal, and they met it – no more EPS by 2022. EPS is a material often used for packaging, but it's not very friendly to the environment. Yum Brands' move to eliminate it shows their commitment to making their packaging greener. It's another step in their sustainability journey. They're pushing for changes that benefit the planet and reduce waste. Yum Brands is taking real action to make a positive impact on our world.
Yum Brands also aims for sustainable sourcing of paper-based packaging. They're working on removing harmful substances from their packaging by 2025.
Their 2022 policy promotes reusable packaging and more recoverable paper solutions. They'll look for ways to use more recycled content, with goals for all brands by 2023. Progress reports start in 2024.
Yum Brands is making changes in its brands to meet sustainability goals. Taco Bell in the U.S. now uses recyclable paper wraps and is testing a 30-ounce cup with recycled content. The Habit Burger Grill switched to paper bags, reducing 165 tons of plastic waste, and is testing molded fiber packaging for salad bowls.
This proactive stance is noticed by Yum Brands' shareholders. A resolution urged Yum to reduce plastic use and, despite Yum's opposition, 36.9% of shareholders supported it, indicating growing interest in sustainability. Yum Brands remains dedicated to its sustainability goals.
