From 100% 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.

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.

  2025

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

2025

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

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. 

Supporting Irish and British 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 Ireland and the UK 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.

What makes our food?

Read about our approach to sustainably sourcing our key ingredients.

Meet the farmers

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

Over 20 years of sustainable sourcing 

100% Irish bacon, Bord Bia Quality Assured

Irish semi-skimmed milk in our teas, coffees and Happy Meal milk bottles

100% Irish free-range eggs

100% Irish free-range eggs

Enriched environments and natural daylight for chickens

  Rainforest Alliance Certified Logo

Rainforest Alliance certified coffee

Certified Sustanianble Seafood Logo

Marine Stewardship Council certified fish

100% Irish beef

100% Irish beef

RSPO logo

RSPO Certified Palm Oil

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.

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.

Industry awards

2105

Compassion in World Farming Good Egg Award

2021

Compassion in World Farming Sustainable Food and Farming Award

Delivering more choice

Our commitment and goals

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

 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.

2022

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

 2022

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.

 2023

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

 2025

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

 2026

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

To deliver on the changing expectations of our customers and communities, we are committed to making a real difference across our menu and business. We will be launching our Nutrition Innovation Council this year to create recipe reformulations and innovations that not only support more balanced options but taste delicious. 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.

The people behind our plan

Gráinne Allen, Director of Food & Innovation,

Gráinne Allen

"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."

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.

Helping customers make healthier choices

In 2020, we relaunched our website, providing a nutrition calculator so customers can see the effect on nutrition values when customising menu items.

2020

In 2020, we launched our ‘Meals Under’ 400kcals and 600kcals bundles in Ireland which showcase the choices we offer on our menu.

2017

Between 2016 and 2018, we removed 9.6 tonnes of fat, 3.5 tonnes of saturated fat, 2.8 tonnes of salt and 172 tonnes of sugar from our menu.

89% of our core food & drinks menu is 500 calories or under in Ireland.

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.

Allergens

Access our allergen information guide.

What makes our food?

We use quality produce, sourced from Ireland and the UK wherever possible, to make your McDonald’s favourites.

 

We only use Irish beef

Find out all about our 100% Irish bacon

We use milk from Irish dairy farms

It’s whole potatoes that make our fries

We use 100% chicken breast meat

  Free range eggs

Every egg we cook at breakfast is Irish and free-range

We only use sustainably sourced fish

We only use 100% Arabica coffee beans

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