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McDonald’s is facing fresh calls to add vegan-friendly options to it menu.
Advocacy organization Animal Outlook is calling on its followers to Tweet the fast-food giant asking from animal-free alternatives.
The burger chain has fallen behind rivals like Burger King, who offer sandwiches which can be adapted to make them plant-based, like the Impossible Whopper which can be ordered without mayo.
‘Leader in food innovation’
Writing on Instagram, Animal Outlook said: “We’ve been pushing McDonald’s to be a leader in food innovation and start offering plant-based options for a while now, and it looks like CEO Chris Kempczinski is starting to get the hint. In a recent interview, he implied that the fast-food giant would add plant-based menu items…if enough people asked.???
“Challenge accepted. Alright animal advocates, it’s time to ask. Click the link in bio to tweet at McDonald’s letting them know it’s time for vegan options. Let’s put compassionate food in front of meat eaters around the world and see how many lives we save.”
Vegan at McDonald’s
While McDonald’s has failed to offer its U.S. and U.K. customers a vegan-friendly meaty burger, it has put these kinds of sandwiches on the menu in several countries.
The McVegan, which features a soy-patty, is available in Sweden and Finland. The outlet offers the Big Vegan TS in Germany, and last year, it trialed the P.L.T featuring the Beyond Burger patty in Canadian stores.
Campaign
This is not the first time an advocacy organization to call on McDonald’s to launch a plant-based meaty option. Last year animal rights charity PETA U.K. petitioned the burger giant demanding that the McVegan make an appearance on U.K. menus.
“More people than ever are seeking vegan foods – and while its fries, Spicy Veggie Wrap, and apple pies are already suitable for vegans, McDonald’s means burgers, and adding the McVegan would deliver the full package,” PETA Director of Vegan Corporate Projects, Dawn Carr, said in a statement.
“PETA is calling on McDonald’s to serve up the sensational meaty vegan burger and spare millions of gentle cows the horrors of the abattoir.”
Controversy
Any animal-free additions to McDonald’s menu are likely to split opinion within the vegan community: polling last year revealed that 43 percent of plant-based eaters said they would never eat at the outlet.
The Big Vegan Survey 2019, carried out by magazine Vegan Food & Living, quizzed more than 8,300 people on their preferences when it comes to the best retailers and eateries for plant-based food – and the worst.
‘Boycotting animal abuse’
For many vegans, even if fast-food chains offer plant-based options, their reliance on animal exploitation – as well as many chains’ checkered histories when it comes to animal abuse – means eateries like McDonald’s should not be supported.
Vegan activist Sarah told Plant Based News she boycotts fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King – as well as a slew of other outlets – for this very reason.
“I have seen that these kinds of places are trying to appeal to people who don’t eat meat,” she said. “McDonald’s is launching a new vegan meal, and Burger King has the Impossible Whopper. But for me, it’s not just about the components in the meal, it’s about the company I am buying from. McDonald’s kills millions of animals every year, so even if I invest in animal-free foods, I am still giving money to a corporation that benefits from killing animals.”
