The McFlurry Paradox

Blogpost by Niels Vankrunkelsven

Who remembers eating a McFlurry with a wooden spoon?

In 2020 McDonald's substituted their iconic plastic McFlurry spoons with wooden ones to contribute to their commitment to ban plastics. However, nowadays you get a PLA (polylactic acid) spoon, a sustainable plastic derived from corn starch or sugar cane. Why again a switch and what does that teach us about sustainable alternatives?

Everyone who ate a McFlurry with a wooden spoon knows it ruins the experience. Therefore, McDonald’s now uses PLA spoons which interfere less with the taste and experience.

The McFlurry paradox teaches us a valuable lesson about adopting sustainable alternatives. It is a misconception that sustainability sells. Adoption does not rely on the degree of CO2 savings, it is intertwined with how comfortable it is. It is about the compromises that are made.

The same goes for wind turbines. Wind turbines provide a stable and near-continuous production of green electricity. However, not in my back yard movements slow down and limit the upscaling of wind turbine electricity production. Everybody is open to reap the benefits, but nobody is willing to sacrifice personal interests.

Broad adoption will never be realized as long as the cost, value, convenience, and experience are threatened! These should always be considered in your value proposition as well as in your strategy. Let us have a more detailed dive into the aspects of adoption:

• Cost reaches further than pricing. It also includes, for example; opportunity cost, reputation, implementation, and even the effort to switch from an existing solution.

• Value perceived by the customer is both quantifiable (such as ROI, efficiency, or performance) and unquantifiable (such as prestige, alignment with values, or peace of mind).

• Convenience refers to how easy it is for the customer to adopt and use your solution. This includes integration with existing processes, accessibility, learning curve, and after-sales support.

• Experience covers every customer interaction with your solution and brand — from the first touchpoint to long-term use. A frictionless, pleasant, and consistent experience builds trust and encourages loyalty.

Sustainability only sells when it is challenged against traditional purchase drivers. Ask yourself, how should I position my specific product or service if it would not be a sustainable alternative? Build on this value proposition and USP and put a final layer of sustainability over it.

We for sure need sustainable alternative products and services, however, to outperform the traditional alternatives we need to build strategies from a conventional perspective and finally add on the sustainable benefits.

To truly drive the adoption of sustainable alternatives, businesses must rethink their approach. It is not enough to offer an eco-friendly option, companies need to innovate in ways that reduce costs, create value, increase convenience, and improve the user experience. Only then can sustainability truly become the new standard in products and services.

Do you want to transition today for a sustainable tomorrow? Check out the keynotes by Niels Vankrunkelsven.