Ruth Jones, the MP for Newport West, has thanked the team at McDonald’s Cardiff Road after an insightful visit to their restaurant this week.

Mrs Jones said her visit on 29 April was like a “trip down memory lane” as she used to take her children to the restaurant when they lived in the Gaer.

She met with franchise owner Jane Blackwell, restaurant manager Ethan and other team leaders to discuss McDonald’s efforts to support staff and serve local communities as well as customers.

McDonald’s restaurants employ around 800 people in Newport alone. This includes a significant number of young people, some of whom are working for the company while they complete their studies.

As shadow minister for environmental protection, Mrs Jones took the opportunity to ask about the restaurant’s waste separation regime and was pleased to see an intuitive and encouraging system for customers to use.

Wales leads the world in domestic recycling, ranking best in the UK and third best globally, but more can be done. This month, the Welsh Government introduced new legislation which requires all businesses to separate their waste for collection in the same way most families do at home.

McDonald’s has already taken steps to reduce their waste by switching to paper straws and aims to bring the amount of material used for kitchen and customer packaging down by 20 per cent (from 2020 levels) by the end of the decade.

They have the ambitious aim of giving all restaurant waste a “second life” by recycling, reusing or composting by 2027.

Mrs Jones also heard how the Newport restaurant uses suppliers from Blackwood and Caerphilly which helps to reduce travel emissions.

Ruth Jones MP said: “It was great to return to McDonald’s Cardiff Road in my role as the local MP and Labour’s shadow minister for environmental protection.

“We discussed a wide range of issues like supporting young staff, reducing waste in the restaurant and keeping our local community clean.

“I’d like to thank Jane and all of the team for a lovely reception and look forward to joining them on a litter pick soon.”