Fast-food chain says it will measure the presence of the drugs in its biggest markets and set limits for use by the end of 2020

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

McDonald’s has announced plans to reduce the use of antibiotics in its global beef supply, fuelling predictions that other restaurants will follow suit.

The move by the world’s biggest fast-food chain addresses concerns that the overuse of antibiotics vital to fighting human infections in farm animals may diminish the drugs’ effectiveness in people.

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McDonald’s becomes the biggest beef buyer to tackle the issue in cattle, potentially creating a new standard for livestock producers and threatening sales by drug companies.

“McDonald’s iconic position and the fact that they’re the largest single global purchaser of beef make it hugely important,” said David Wallinga, a senior health adviser for the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council.

McDonald’s said it would measure the use of antibiotics in its 10 biggest markets, including the United States, and set targets to curb their use by the end of 2020. The markets cover 85% of the company’s global beef supply chain.

Medically important antibiotics cannot be used to promote growth in food animals in the supply chain or to routinely prevent disease, according to McDonald’s policy.

The company does not expect the policy to raise hamburger prices, although franchisees set their own menu prices, spokeswoman Lauren Altmin said.

The Animal Health Institute, which represents pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, said it supported “judicious” use of antibiotics and that drug makers were developing alternatives.

The Food and Drug Administration last year said sales and distribution of medically important antibiotics for food production fell 14% from 2015 to 2016, the first decline in year-to-year sales since the agency began collecting the data in 2009. Chicken accounted for 6% of the sales, while swine and cattle came in at 37% and 43%, respectively.

McDonald’s has an outsized influence on farm practices due to its size. It previously spurred rivals to eliminate antibiotics from their chicken supplies.

Removing antibiotics from cattle is more difficult, experts said, because the animals live longer than chickens and have more chances to fall ill.

The rival burger chain Wendy’s said last year it would beging to buy about 15% of its beef from producers that have pledged to reduce by 20% their use of an antibiotic.

“What McDonald’s is doing will hopefully start to shift the industry all together from over-using antibiotics,” said Matt Wellington, antibiotics program director for advocacy group US PIRG.