Dozens of advocacy groups are accusing McDonald’s (MCD) of failing to follow through on creating targets for reducing the use of medically important antibiotics in its global beef supply chains, a development they argue will accelerate the spread of superbugs.
In a letter to the fast-food giant, the groups pointed to a 2018 pledge by McDonald’s to restrict antibiotic use and set reduction targets across 85% of its supply chain by the end of 2020. The company also committed to phasing out routine use of medically important antibiotics for preventing disease, a practice that contributes to antibiotic resistance in food-producing livestock.
However, McDonald’s missed its 2020 deadline for setting reduction targets, and has not publicly reported any progress toward phasing out the routine use of the antibiotics, according to the Nov. 24 letter sent to McDonald’s chief executive officer Chris Kempczinski. “As far as we know, McDonald’s is now nearly a year late in meeting this pledge,” the groups wrote.
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