Wimpy switches to biodegradable paper straws

The American burger franchise Wimpy has replaced plastic straws with eco-friendly paper straws across its network of restaurants.

The decision to stock the biodegradable straw will reduce the amount of plastic waste discarded by Wimpy, and follows the company’s decision to introduce menus made from 100 percent recyclable and biodegradable laminate.

The general manager of Wimpy, Chris Woolfenden explains the reasoning behind the swap: “We’re making good on the promise we made in 2018 to source a sustainable and suitable alternative to plastic straws. We are delighted to have come up with a solution which we believe will go down extremely well with customers and adds a big tick to our sustainability goals.”

Research suggests that more than 500 million single-use, plastic straws are discarded every day in America. At a time when many bars, cafés and restaurants provide straws in their cold drinks as standard practice, only for them to be thrown away as soon as the final sip is taken, straws have a very short period of use and an alarmingly long period of decomposition.

Wimpy’s new red and white striped straws are composed of bamboo and wood pulp from FSC managed forests, and held together with a natural, plant-based glue. The entire straw is completely biodegradable and is available in two sizes, a smaller one for soft drinks and a wider one for thicker drinks such as milkshakes.

While many biodegradable straws currently on the market deteriorate after a short amount of use, these straws can be used in both hot and cold drinks, and maintain their shape for six hours when fully submerged.

This switch is just one result of Wimpy’s aim to source new, sustainable products as the company strives to reduce its environmental impact and implement more eco-friendly products and working practices for the future. At a moment when many companies are evaluating the consequences of their actions, the responsible changes made by Wimpy keep it ahead of the curve.