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McDonald’s keeps plastic straws, but eyes alternatives

Activist groups make plea to shareholders

By Greg Trotter, Chicago Tribune
Published: May 28, 2018, 6:01am

For now anyway, McDonald’s is not phasing out plastic straws in its U.S. restaurants.

A shareholder proposal directing McDonald’s to re-evaluate its use of straws was overwhelmingly voted down at the global fast-food chain’s annual meeting Thursday in suburban Oak Brook, Ill. Despite grabbing headlines, the proposal only garnered about 8 percent of shareholder votes, according to preliminary results. McDonald’s says it’s already been working to find alternatives to plastic straws.

Plastic straws are difficult to recycle and often end up in the ocean, according to groups fighting to eliminate their usage. One YouTube video of a straw being extracted from a sea turtle’s nose had more than 24 million views as of Thursday afternoon.

Eliminating plastic straws was but one of many pleas last week from activists targeting McDonald’s annual meeting, which has almost become an annual rite of spring for advocates of various causes hoping to influence the global fast-food company. On May 21, Fight for $15 protesters gathered outside of McDonald’s new Chicago headquarters to demand better wages. Other groups last week called on McDonald’s to phase out the routine use of medically important antibiotics from its beef and pork supply, and end the controversial school fundraising events known as McTeacher’s Nights.

At the shareholder meeting, McDonald’s executives touted the company’s sales growth and corporate social responsibility.

“We’re committed to using our scale for good in a way that makes sense for our long-term growth strategy,” said McDonald’s Chairman Rick Hernandez.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s announced plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions. And by 2025, McDonald’s will use packaging from only renewable, recycled or certified sources where no deforestation occurs, the company announced in March. The company also has made major supply chain commitments, such as using only eggs from cage-free hens.

Because of McDonald’s sheer size — about 37,000 restaurants globally — such decisions effect significant change throughout the food industry.

But many activist groups would like to see the company do more.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson made an appearance at the annual meeting, urging McDonald’s to do more to improve wages and address sexual harassment claims.

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