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Number plates could be printed on McDonald's drive-thru orders to catch litterers

25 November 2022, 17:47

Fast-food litter has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture: Getty

Council bosses want to crack down on the growing amounts of rubbish thrown onto the streets.

McDonald's drive-thru customers could soon see their car number plates being printed on takeaway orders in a bid to crack down on littering.

The Welsh government has allegedly been in talks with the fast-food giant over the idea following a rise in rubbish reported by the council.

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Bosses behind the concept are hoping it will make burger fans think twice before chucking their leftover food, drinks and empty cartons onto the streets from their vehicles.

Swansea Council's head of waste, parks and cleansing, Chris Howell, said he thought the initiative itself could make consumers more accountable but was worried identity checks would put people off.

McDonald's restaurants in Wales could trial the scheme. Picture: Getty

During a climate change corporate delivery meeting, he explained: "The Welsh government has explored with McDonald's, or their franchises, whether or not they could print number plates of cars collecting takeaways from their drive-throughs with a view that that would discourage people from discarding their [litter].

However, according to Nation Cymru, he also addressed the potential drawbacks.

"If McDonald's do it, then people will just go to Burger King instead of McDonald's, because nobody wants to have their private details printed on that packaging.

"I think it's a really good idea but at the minute it's fraught with some difficulties."

The Welsh government wants litterbugs to be more accountable. Picture: Getty

According to Wales Online, political party Plaid Cymru drew up a petition that called on fast-food companies to take the idea seriously after the amount of litter increased following the first coronavirus lockdown.

New prevention plans were reportedly being drafted by a team of councils and businesses alongside the Welsh government, who said that littering was completely unacceptable.

Despite the potential positives to come from the scheme, a McDonald's spokesperson told Ladbible that it wasn't "convinced" it would provide proper "evidence" for councils trying to prosecute "litter offences".