From 100% British and Irish beef in our burgers to Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, we’re committed to sustainable sourcing in ways that are good for people, animals and the planet. We want to lead the way in delivering more choice, including tasty and sustainable plant-based options, and helping our customers make more balanced choices, that don’t compromise on taste, convenience or price.

Sustainable sourcing

Our commitment and goals

We will source quality ingredients produced by progressive farmers to leading animal welfare and environmental standards.

Checklist icon above the date 2023.

By 2023 develop a Plan for Change Scorecard in collaboration with independent experts, to expand and embed ethical and sustainability criteria in our sourcing decisions

Tractor icon above date 2025.

By 2025 support resilient livelihoods and sustainable outcomes through McDonald’s Farm Forward, benefiting over 23,000 British and Irish Farmers

Family icon of people above date 2025.

By 2025 engage 10 million families, and connect them to farming, nature and the future of sustainable food

Adult icon of people above date 2030.

By 2030 have kick-started over 100 careers in food and farming for young people from diverse backgrounds through our McDonald’s Young Talent programme

Putting our commitment into practice

We are committed to sourcing our menu to continuously improve sustainability standards, including animal welfare and the wellbeing of the people in our supply chain. By 2023, we will have developed a new Plan for Change Scorecard, in collaboration with independent experts, to expand and embed ethical and sustainability criteria in our sourcing decisions.

We’ve been working on sustainable sourcing for over 20 years. And sustainable sourcing begins with sustainable farming. So we continue to innovate with farmers to help drive transformational change across the industry.

Image of two farmers smiling in a field with a herd of cows in the background.

Supporting British and Irish farmers

Find out how we’re supporting farmers to be resilient and make environmental improvements through our Farm Forward programme.

   

We’re also growing the next generation of farmers, who bring their fresh thinking and energy to the industry. As we expand our Progressive Young Farmer programme, this will help give young people from diverse backgrounds in the UK and Ireland their start in food and farming.

We all have a role to play

We want to help our customers understand and appreciate where their food comes from, as well as enjoy what they’re eating.

We aim to connect 10 million families to farming, nature and the future of food by 2025 – and inspire the next generation to discover, enjoy and look after the natural world.

Herd of brown cows in a green field.

What makes our food?

Read about our approach to sustainably sourcing our key ingredients

Image of farmers surrounded by a herd of cows.

Meet the farmers

Meet the farmers whose quality produce makes your McDonald’s favourites

Over 20 years of sustainable sourcing – free-range eggs since 1998

2007 date in yellow circle.

We’ve been serving free-range eggs since 1998.

2007 date in yellow circle.

Organic milk in our teas, coffees and Happy Meal milk bottles since 2007.

2007 date in green circle.

Rainforest Alliance certified coffee since 2007.

2011 date in yellow circle.

Marine Stewardship Council certified fish since 2011.

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All pork sourced from RSPCA Assured farms since 2013.

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British potatoes for our fries since 2015.

2015 date in green circle.

RSPO Certified Palm Oil since 2015.

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Antibiotic Stewardship strategy since 2015.

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Enriched environments and natural daylight for chickens since 2017.

100% in green circle.

We also source 100% British and Irish beef.

Female farmer smiling around her crops.

Human rights in our supply chain

The success of the McDonald’s System lies in our trusted relationships with suppliers. We expect all suppliers to meet our expectations of fundamental rights for all people as established by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

A chicken outside enjoying the sun.

Responsible antibiotic use

Our efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance within our supply chain dates back to 2003, when we first established a position on responsible antibiotic use. In 2015, we developed the Vision for Antibiotic Stewardship (VAS). This outlines our approach to antibiotic use within the McDonald’s supply chain and sets the path for the development of species-specific policies. Find out more here.

McDonald’s UK&I is a member of RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance) through the British Retail Consortium (BRC) which brings together stakeholders in the food supply chain. RUMA was established in November 1997 to promote responsible use of antibiotics, food safety, animal health and animal welfare in the British livestock industry.

Our sustainable sourcing partnerships and certifications

FAI farms logo.

FAI Farms

The Prince’s Countryside Fund logo.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund

Marine Stewardship Council logo.

Marine Stewardship Council

Red Tractor logo.

    


Red Tractor

Bord Bia logo.

     

Bord Bia

RSPCA Assured logo.

     

RSPCA Assured

     

RSPO

    



     

Soil Association

Rainforest Alliance logo.

     

Rainforest Alliance

     

     

     

Industry awards

2013 date in red circle.

Compassion in World Farming Good Sow Award Commendation.

2014 date in yellow circle.

Pig and Poultry Marketing Awards: Training Initiative, Highly Commended.

2014 date in green circle.

RSPCA Freedom Food Alistair Mews Award for Food Service.

2014 date in yellow circle.

Sustainable Restaurant Association Raymond Blanc Hero Award, Sustainability Hero.

2015 date in green circle.

Compassion in World Farming Good Egg Award.

2016 date in red circle.

Compassion in World Farming Best Marketing Award.

2017 date in green circle.

Compassion in World Farming Good Dairy Commendation.

2019 date in red circle.

Cream Awards Judges Special Award for Sustainable Dairy Investment Fund.

2021 date in red circle.

Compassion in World Farming Sustainable Food and Farming Award.

Delivering more choice

Our commitment and goals

We will lead by helping customers make more balanced choices that don’t compromise on taste, convenience or price.

Icon of a hand holding a phone above the date 2021.

From 2021 conduct ongoing positive behaviour change research and implement findings across our order channels to inspire our customers to make more balanced choices

Icon of pot and spoon above 2022 date.

By 2022 launch the McDonald’s Nutrition Innovation Council, to create recipe reformulations and innovations that support more balanced choices that taste delicious

Icon of tray with burger, drink and salad above 2022 date.

By 2022 develop nutrition criteria in line with recognised guidelines, working with advice from the British Nutrition Foundation, to better define the choices we offer on our menu

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By 2023 help customers to navigate our menu by refreshing our menu signposting and nutrition labelling

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By 2025 have a market leading vegan plant-based food and drinks offering

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By 2026 a minimum of 50% of our products available across the total of our restaurants, excluding promo products, will meet our nutrition criteria

Find out more about the British Nutrition Foundation here.

Making a real difference across our menu

And as we update our menu options, we aim to have a market-leading vegan plant-based food and drinks offering that will appeal to everyone. In 2021, we launched the McPlantour first vegan burger made with a juicy plant-based patty co-developed with Beyond Meat® and certified as vegan by the Vegetarian Society.

The people behind our Plan

Image of director of food innovation, Grainne.

“Customer trends are fast changing, and we can’t afford to stand still. When it comes to our food, we are committed to finding more balanced options and sustainable ingredients wherever possible. That is no easy task and takes time. But, with our suppliers, we have shown it is possible and have a strategic, long-term vision that will see our menu evolve in the coming years.”

Gráinne Allen, Director of Food & Innovation, McDonald’s Restaurants UK & Ireland

Offering choice on our menu

We are working with external experts on new nutrition criteria to better define the choice we offer on our menu. By 2026, we’re aiming for at least 50% of the products available across the total of our restaurants, excluding promo products, to meet these standards and we’ll continue to review our menu in line with relevant nutrition criteria.

To help our customers to navigate our menu we will refresh our approach to menu signposting and labelling. Our work will be informed by research, and tested with customers to ensure it is easily understood. We will also conduct ongoing research to understand how else we can encourage behaviour change, and put the findings into practice across our order channels.

Changing the position of low and no sugar drink options on our menu ordering screens has helped to create a significant increase in their sales.

 Our journey so far

2011 date in red circle.

In 2011, we became the largest company in our sector to provide clearly visible calorie information at the point of purchase across all our restaurants.

2017 date in yellow circle.

In 2017 we relaunched our website enhancing the nutrition calculator so customers can see the effect on nutrition values when customising menu items.    

2017 date in green circle.

In 2017, in the UK we launched our ‘Meals Under’ 400kcals and 600kcals bundles which showcase the choices we offer on our menu. More recently we also launched Meals Under in Ireland.

90% in green circle.

90% of our core food & drinks menu is 500 calories or under in the UK.

2020 date in red circle.

Between 2015 and 2020 we have removed 1,200 tonnes of fat, 512 tonnes of saturated fat, 83.7 tonnes of salt and 2,545 tonnes of sugar from our menu.

Red Happy Meal box.

Happy Meal®

We review and update our Happy Meal® menu regularly. In 2020 we launched our Veggie Dippers, approved by the Vegetarian Society. Around 70% of items in our Happy Meal® menu are non-High in Fat Salt and Sugar (HFSS). Use our Nutrition Calculator to see the calories and other nutrition information for our Happy Meals.

Our long-term goals in full

See the details behind our Plan.

McDonald's UK Allergen guide.

Allergens

Access our allergen information guide.

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