Fast Food Giant In Coffee Pledge
The world’s biggest burger chain is to begin serving rainforest-friendly coffee this week.
McDonald’s has pledged to source all coffee sold at UK outlets from farms which meet basic environmental and welfare standards.
With its customers buying more more than 143,000 cups of coffee a day, the company claims the move will make environmentalism “mainstream” .
McDonald’s has come under fire for its corporate ethics in recent years and this is the latest in a series of measures to revamp its image.
After the 2004 documentary Supersize Me - which claimed McDonald’s food was contributing to the obesity of the American people - the fast food giant began offering healthier menu options.
Steve Easterbrook, Chief Executive of McDonald’s UK, said: “McDonald’s is a progressive burger company and this is another important step for us.
“It means we can offer our customers great tasting coffee that doesn’t cost the earth and benefits coffee growers, their communities and the environment.”
However, the Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture certification has been called ‘Fairtrade Lite’ by some critics, who say it does not offer producers a minimum or guaranteed price.