Your McDonald’s plastic straws could be worth thousands - here's how much they are selling for

However McDonald's customers are not happy with the new paper straws and have launched a petition to get the old ones back. 

As plastic straws have been removed from the US chain's restaurants across the UK they have seemingly become a bit of a collectors item. 

On eBay sellers are listing them for hundreds if not thousands of pounds, and people have been bidding for them. 

One person has listed a single plastic straw, still in its wrapping, for £1,000. it has not had any bids so far, but there is six days remaining on the auction. 

Another seller is offering a pack of 37 McDonald’s straws and currently it is at £520.00 with three bids having been made – working out at around £14 per straw. 

Why did McDonald's change straws? 

The fast-food giant is axing plastic straws at all of its 1,361 restaurants in the country, including the one in Fratton which has recently introduced eco-friendly paper straws. 

The change comes in a bid to cut down on single-use plastic. 

Environment secretary Michael Gove said: ‘Congratulations to McDonald’s on making this significant contribution to help our natural environment. 

‘We want more companies to say no to unnecessary single use plastics.

‘Through our 25 Year Environment Plan we have committed to eliminating avoidable plastic and we will continue to take decisive action to protect our precious environment.’

Why are people upset? 

Customers are not happy with the change to paper straws and a petition has been launched calling for McDonald’s to bring back the plastic ones. 

Martin Reed launched the online campaign, writing: ‘Get rid on the waste of time paper straws.

‘So I can drink my milkshake proper.’ 

The petition has so far been signed by 40,078 people 

since being launched last week. 

One person wrote: ‘Absolutely useless, they get soggy and end up giving off a cardboard taste to the drink you have, no point in having a paper straw with a plastic lid, much rather have a paper lid and a plastic straw.’ 

While another added: ‘The straws are not working for drinking, they should consider bio degradable plastic straws made from natural products. It is do able.

‘I personally hate the paper straws as they leave a weird film on my teeth. I'm offering an alternative to the plastic and paper straws.’ 

Explaining why they had signed the petition, one person said: ‘My son with sensory issues can't use the paper straws and gets very upset and they just bend and dissolve.’ 

You can learn more about the petition by clicking here