Drive-through receipts should include drivers’ details, says MP

FAST food drive-through restaurants should be required to print drivers’ licence plate numbers on their receipts to prevent littering, a minister has said.

Rebecca Pow, the environment minister, yesterday told MPS that one fast food chain is considering the move, which she labelled a “great idea” to limit littering.

Speaking during environment, food and rural affairs questions, Philip Hollobone, the Tory MP, asked Ms Pow whether the government will “consider requiring drive-through fast food restaurants to print the purchaser’s vehicle registration number on the receipt so that the origin of roadside litter might be more readily identified?” Ms Pow replied: “It’s a great idea.” She added: “I actually do believe there is one fast food chain who is considering doing this already, and it’s something I’ve thought about myself when out on my bike and I see all the litter thrown on the verges.

“Trust me, this Government is doing a great deal on litter, but we need to do more.”

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said they could not name the company referenced by Ms Pow.

Last week the Government introduced its Environment Bill in the Commons, which will set legally binding targets on biodiversity, air quality, water, and resource efficiency and waste management, as well as introducing “more effective litter enforcement”.

Introducing the legislation, Theresa Villiers, the Environment Secretary, told MPS: “We have set out our pitch to be a world leader on the environment as we leave the EU and the Environment Bill is a crucial part of achieving this aim.”