McDonald's: Car registration plates could go on bags

Getty Images drive through food handed from window to carGetty Images
Targeting people who fly tip drive-through litter via number plates has been looked at

McDonald's takeaway bags could have car number plates printed on them in a bid to stop drive-thru customers littering.

But Swansea council was told the idea was "fraught" with difficulties around privacy.

"Nobody wants to have their private details printed on that packaging," head of waste Chris Howell said.

Plaid Cymru proposed the idea in a petition two years ago after a spike in litter following the first lockdown.

The Welsh government considered the idea, Mr Howell told a meeting, as it "would discourage people from discarding their [litter]," as the driver could subsequently be identified.

But he said there were issues over which fast food companies would "go first", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"If McDonald's do it, then people will just go to Burger King instead of McDonald's," he said.

"I think it's a really good idea, but at the minute it's fraught with some difficulties."

The Welsh government previously said littering was not acceptable and that it was working on a new prevention plan with businesses and councils.