Are you doing enough to remove harmful plastic?
Whether you are the one sipping that drink or milkshake through a plastic straw or a food franchise wanting to play your part in the sustainability of the planet, we all need to take steps to remove single-use plastics. Are you on board?
“It started with the straw. This is our final straw. This moment in our history is just the beginning. ” Those were the words of Thabisa Mkhwanazi, KFC Africa’s Public Affairs Director after announcing the removal of plastic straws in over 900 KFC restaurants across South Africa, helping to eliminate 60 million plastic straws a year.
KFC is part of a new global sustainability commitment from the business community that all plastic-based packaging items will be recoverable or reusable by 2025. “Whilst there is already an existing global war on plastic, as a fast-food giant, KFC is doubly aware of the sheer scale of our business to be able to profoundly impact the narrative on plastic” said Mkhwanazi at the launch of a KFC exhibition display, on for 2 months at The Origins Centre in Durban to mark the final straw and raise awareness and educate on the use of plastics and its impact.
With South Africa joining the other 193 UN countries in signing a resolution to help eliminate marine litter and microplastics in the sea, the ‘no straw movement’ within the food and beverage industry has gained traction over the past year as both the public and businesses have come on board to either doing away with straws altogether or using paper straws.
Hotel groups, retailers, restaurants and fast outlets have all joined to declare war on plastic straws, many running campaigns to educate their customers. These include the Famous Brands group, The Spur Group, Ocean Basket, Starbucks with many other franchise brands following their lead. Woolworths, Pick n Pay and Shoprite lead the way in retailing with wooden cutlery and recyclable bags.
To protect, lobby, promote and develop ethical franchising across all sectors in South Africa with specific focus on transformation.
