McDonald’s Australia sells millions of kilograms of beef, chicken, and cheese; millions of litres of milk; and tens of millions of eggs each year. It is the most popular fast-food chain in Australia, with over 900 locations. Around 1 in 5 Australians are trying to reduce their meat intake. McDonald’s Australia has a huge opportunity to make plant-based food more accessible and more mainstream. Animal agriculture is responsible for approximately 70% of Australia's agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock farming is water intensive, water polluting, requires huge amounts of land, and is a main driver of deforestation. Animal agriculture is also the reason for 79% of deforestation in Australia. Many thanks to Vstats for the graphic, from this post: Whether or not you believe it necessary to be fully plant-based, high levels of meat and animal product consumption are not sustainable. We all have a responsibility to make efforts to consume more ethically and sustainably, and large corporations like McDonald’s have an even larger responsibility to use their wealth to make delicious and exciting foods that are kinder to the planet.

Yes they can, and they will probably prefer to. But the point is, McDonald’s is popular and accessible. This campaign is about mainstreaming plant-based food options for people trying to eat less meat, and give more people the opportunity to try them. People should always be given the choice to do so.

McDonald’s is a major killer of animals worldwide and has questionable ethics on many fronts. This campaign is not supportive of McDonald’s. However, McDonald’s is popular and powerful, and we think it’s important to demand they be better. This campaign isn’t specifically aimed at feeding vegans; it is aimed at increasing accessible and comfortable plant-based food options for people of all dietary beliefs and commitments. If more people are eating plant-based foods, both animals and the environment will benefit. Standards are changing — other restaurants are increasing their plant-based options. Burger King UK has pledged to be 50% meat-free by 2030. In Europe, McDonald’s offers plant-based menu options, but McDonald’s Australia does not seem to believe that consumers would appreciate plant-based options. We think they are mistaken. McDonald’s Australia uses 100% Australian beef, which means they are a huge contributor to the animal livestock industry on this continent, whereby approximately 50% of the Australian landmass is used for pasture. Australian businesses must take responsibility for this and make significant changes immediately. They have the power to make these changes, but they need to be shown that the public demands it. As for other problems with McDonald’s corporation, we encourage the launch of campaigns with other goals, appreciate collaboration, and would like to hear your thoughts.

Firstly, sign the petition. Then send and share the website to as many people as possible. If you want to do more, you can write an email to McDonald’s Australia personally at mcfeedback@au.mcd.com. If you want to get involved with helping WePlanet Australia with leafletting, postering, and potential actions or collaboration, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: hello@replanet.au, or send us a message via social media (see our accounts here).

There isn’t a deadline, but the more help we get, the more pressure we can put on McDonald’s. This campaign will continue until McDonald’s offers plant-based menu options nationwide in Australia.

We aren’t just asking that McDonald’s offer a single menu item, we are asking them to use their money to introduce an array of substantial options for breakfast, for their main menu, and for dessert. We want them to show that they are fully committed to producing plant-based menu items that are as tasty — and as affordable — as their animal-based options.

McDonald’s Israel provided free meals to Israeli soldiers and hospitals, sparking an organic boycott that has spread in the Middle East and elsewhere. McDonald’s Australia has no direct connection with McDonald’s Israel, but both pay royalties to McDonald’s Corporation US to use the brand, operating under a franchise model whereby the restaurants are predominantly locally owned. According to Al Jazeera, McDonald’s franchises in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain and Turkey have pledged more than $3 million to Palestinians and have rejected the actions of McDonald’s Israel. The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is made up of unions, academic associations, churches, and grassroots movements around the world, and is Palestinian led. Their strategy is to use the named methods in their title to prevent the economic funding of Israel, and to call on governments to fulfil their legal duties and impose sanctions on Israel under international law. One of the reasons people are calling for the boycott of all McDonald’s is because they believe McDonald’s US should condemn McDonald’s Israel, and should take repercussive action. The BDS movement has added McDonald’s to their ‘organic boycott targets’, alongside other brands such as Burger King, WIX, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut. An ‘organic boycott’ is one that wasn’t instigated by the BDS movement, but is supported by them “because these companies, or their branches or franchisees in Israel, have openly supported apartheid Israel and/or provided generous in-kind donations to the Israeli military amid the current genocide” (read more). The BDS movement has also recommended that if the listed organic boycott targets are not active in your area, that you focus on their “strategic campaigns” There is also a BDS Australia website, where their targeted campaigns for this continent are listed and explained. These targeted campaigns include HP, ELBIT Systems, Australian Arms companies, Superannuation funds, and dates from Israel. WePlanet Australia wants to stress that our campaign is entirely separate to both McDonald's and the BDS movement. Our campaign has a targeted objective of securing a nationwide rollout of a plant-based menu by McDonald's Australia, to ensure consumers can choose to reduce their meat consumption. We also aim to kickstart a national conversation about the environmental impacts of animal agriculture.