In a bid to cut back on plastic waste, fast food chain McDonald's intends to ask people if they want to swap the toy for a fruit bag instead, claiming it will let customers decide if they want a toy with a Happy Meal. The trial comes as rival Burger King axed plastic toys from its kids' meals.

McDonald's bosses said the firm will offer diners free meals if they return unwanted toys. Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald ’s UK and Ireland, explained: "We recognise that some people may not want a plastic Happy Meal toy, but we also know that the gifts provide fun for many families and children. That’s why we’ll be running these trials, in order to give our customers a choice; they also can choose not to have a toy or gift at all. It’s important we understand what our customers want and we’ll learn a lot from whether they choose a fruit bag or a book over a toy."

It appears to be the latest in a series of moves aimed at reducing plastic consumption, including using paper straws, withdrawing plastic lids from McFlurrys , and ending the use of single-use plastic in salads.

Burger King 's "Meltdown" campaign - which starts tomorrow - will see plastic toy amnesty bins placed in every restaurant across the UK. Dailyrecord.co.uk quoted Burger King UK marketing director Katie Evans as saying: “It is impossible to ignore the growing problem excessive plastic waste is causing and we are glad to be taking action.