McDonald’s is being pressured by customers to get rid of their new paper straws amid complaints they are “soggy” and difficult to use.
The fast food chain recently introduced white paper straws to replace red and yellow striped plastic ones, following a petition last year backed by almost 85,000 people.
The new straws, which have been introduced in 1,361 McDonald’s restaurants across the country, follow growing concerns over plastic pollution. To put this in context, in the UK, we throw away an estimated 4.4 billion plastic straws every year.
However, in the past week, a further 37,931 (and counting) have now signed a new petition started by campaigner Martin Reed to ‘Bring back McDonald’s straws’.
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A number of disgruntled McDonald’s customer have weighed in on Twitter to voice their grievances against the new straws.
the new paper straw is useless, its horrible to suck, and its destroyed before my drink is finished. i wont be buying drinks from @McDonalds again until they come up with an alternative. mcdonalds straw #nothappywastingmymoney
— the_full_blown_truth (@_fullblowntruth) April 24, 2019
The new McDonalds paper straws are awful 🤮
The straws are said to pose a particular problem to McDonalds milkshake drinkers, according to the negative feedback.
When u finally find a @McDonalds that does milkshakes- and u then get a shitty paper straw that lasts 2 seconds!
Can @McDonalds send me the instructions for how to drink a milkshake with a paper straw. Thanks in advance.
Paper straws out of McDonalds are pish, 😂😂 trying to drink you’re milkshake they go soggy, half way through
— Kerry 🍀🤫 (@wee_kezza) April 17, 2019
However, others have hit back at those criticising the paper straws, saying the environmental impact of paper straws is much more important.
As if people are complaining about #mcdonalds paper straws!! Fuck the planet, I want my shake? Really?...
There is much more important things in this world than the material that straws are made from. If McDonalds having paper straws upset you so much I would suggest you need to spend less time in McDonald’s. If you are complaining, please, please GET A LIFE
— Weir🏴 (@mirranweirr) April 21, 2019
mcdonalds in the uk alone uses 1.8 MILLION!!!! straws per day, so next time ur moaning about ur soggy paper straw get a GRIP and be thankful none of those straws will be left to destroy our planet for the next 400 odd years :))
Meanwhile, some people are suggesting McDonalds haven’t gone far enough in its planet-saving initiatives, pointing out you still have to insert the paper straws through a plastic lid.
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Or the plastic lids they’re putting the paper straws through 🤣🤣🤣
The #100LittleThings project links me into the force environmental policy work. Outside work really great to go into #McDonalds & see paper straws have arrived. Just need to sort the plastic lids now! pic.twitter.com/cz4DMxk3WY
— Insp Dave Humphries (@HantsInspH) April 20, 2019
Whether it’s a case of McDonalds redesigning its new paper straws or customers simply getting used to the new kind, plastic pollution is an inescapable global concern which requires individuals and companies to do their bit.
For those looking for alternatives to paper straws, you can purchase a reusable steel straw – complete with case and cleaning brush – from the Newchic website.
You can also buy silicone and acrylic straws on Amazon.
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