The Big Change McDonald's France Is Making To Its Happy Meal Toys

It's no secret that McDonald's has become more than just a place to eat, as it's put smiles on children's faces from around the world for the past 40 years with their amazing toys, as noted by Eat This, Not That. In fact, it's not uncommon for adults to collect toys, too. Happy Meal toys have gathered such a cult following on a global scale that people have even listed the toys on resale websites for astounding amounts, while others haven even gone on to scalp them (via Fox News)!

Flocking to McDonald's for the latest toy has become such a common part of culture today that people no longer bat an eye at whether this child-sized package is truly a happy meal. But how could it not be, right? Packed with small fries, a drink, apple slices, a choice between a hamburger or chicken nuggets, and a cool toy, how could it not bring joy to any child? But what would happen if McDonald's no longer sold their signature toys?

In a sustainable move few saw coming, McDonald's France has taken the initiative to remove all plastic from their array of iconic toys. But don't panic just yet, McDonald's Happy Meal toys aren't going anywhere, they're just getting an environmental makeover in effort to remove hard-to-recycle plastic. After cutting out toy batteries in 2014 and introducing paper-based activities and trading cards in 2018, McDonald's France slowly but surely made the move towards greener products. In fact, in recent years, McDonald's France has "reduced the volume of plastic in its toys by more than 50 percent," according to a recent statement.

Currently, all French McDonald's establishments offer toys composed of renewable materials — think paper and cardboard. McDonald's states this new move towards sustainable toys is set to "save more than 3,000 metric tons of plastic per year." So next time you find yourself on vacation in France and decide to stop by the nearest golden arches restaurant, you might find a nice surprise in your happy meal.