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Has McDonald’s made a positive contribution to the UK?

A major new report prepared by Development Economics for McDonald’s assesses the positive contribution McDonald’s has made to its people, to its customers, to communities and to the national economy over the past 40 years since the company’s arrival in the UK.

McDonalds logoThe report concludes that since the first McDonald’s restaurant opened in the UK in 1974, together with its suppliers and franchisees, McDonald’s has:

  • Supported the creation of 1.5 million jobs
  • Spent over £26 billion with UK-based businesses
  • Delivered a total contribution of over £40 billion to the British economy in 2013 prices – more than the combined economic output of Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh in an average year.

Moreover, the report highlights that:

  • McDonald’s is estimated to provide 70,000 jobs to young people aged 16-25, making the business one of the largest employers of young people in the UK
  • One third of people who join McDonald’s after finishing school at the age of 16 or 17 remain with the business for five years or more to pursue a career.
  • Since 2006, over 55,000 qualifications have been gained by employees across the McDonald’s business
  • 74% of part-time workers are in full or part-time education and 68% rely extensively on their wage at McDonald’s to fund their studies, increasing their career earnings potential
  • Over 16,600 Apprentices have qualified with an Intermediate Apprenticeship in Hospitality and Catering and a further 3,400 employees are currently studying towards one
    Almost 8,500 employees have achieved vocational qualifications equivalent to an A level.

The full report is available on the www.mcdonalds.co.uk website or you can download it below.
> McDonald’s Serving The UK report (PDF)