Animal rights group blockades McDonald's distribution centres in UK

Campaign group Animal Rebellion uses trucks and bamboo structures to stop lorries from leaving

Members of Animal Rebellion carry out a demonstration at a McDonald's distribution centre in Hemel Hempstead, England. Reuters

More than 50 protesters from campaign group Animal Rebellion set up blockades at McDonald's distribution centres in the UK on Saturday.

A spokesman for the rights group called for the restaurant chain to turn to plant-based foods.

The protesters used lorries and bamboo structures to stop shipments from leaving four distribution centres.

A spokeswoman for McDonald's UK apologised to customers for the disruption.

"We are assessing the impact on deliveries to our restaurants and to menu items," she said.

Animal Rebellion said it would remain at the sites for at least 24 hours to disrupt the company's supply chain.

"The meat and dairy industry is destroying our planet: causing huge amounts of rainforest deforestation, emitting immense quantities of greenhouse gases and killing billions of animals each year," said James Ozden, a spokesman for the group.

"The only sustainable and realistic way to feed 10 billion people is with a plant-based food system.

"Organic, free-range and sustainable animal-based options simply aren't good enough."

Images released by Animal Rebellion showed a replica of the McDonald's golden arches logo splattered with red paint.