While food deliveries offer the convenience that dine-in experiences cannot provide, the repercussions are upon the waste from the packaging, whether it is plastic or paper.
According to the European Commission, in 2023, around 80 million tons of packaging waste were generated on the continent, corresponding to around 178 kilograms per inhabitant. That’s huge.
The United Nations, meanwhile, reported that “approximately 36 percent of all plastics produced are used in packaging, including single-use plastic products for food and beverage containers, approximately 85 percent of which ends up in landfills or as unregulated waste."
This also affects oceans. Out of the estimated 11 million tons of plastic pollution that enter the global oceans each year, the biggest chunk is consumer take-out items. Oh, no!
Which is why Uber Eats plans to cut down on plastic waste from food deliveries, with the target year of completion in 2030.
‘Less terrible’ packaging
On Thursday, Uber Eats announced that customers ordering deliveries via the official Uber Eats app will be able to specifically look for restaurants and coffee shops that use “less terrible, reusable, recyclable, compostable, and sustainably sourced” packaging.
Ridesharing and food delivery media reported this will be launched next week, and rolling out in Paris, London, Amsterdam, New York City, San Francisco, and even Taipei.
This initiative is expected to help businesses move to less wasteful packaging, with due guidance from the World Wildlife Fund or WWF, and circular economy investment from Closed Loop Partners. Closed Loop Partners champions building circular economies.
Furthermore, Uber Eats is also bound to release more sustainable packaging guidelines for businesses and employ the fruits from its partnerships with companies like Bunzl, Green Paper Products, Dinovia, and Enviropack.
Uber is not the first firm to implement measures to support the management of wastes via less harmful packaging. Deliveroo has a $3.12 investment to subsidize the costs of sustainable packaging from its restaurant affiliates.
Additionally, Uber is also aiming to eliminate harmful emissions from rides internationally by 2040, with the goal of all trips being conducted in vehicles that release zero emissions, primarily electric cars. The work here has started.
The work continues
The work goes on to make this initiative successful. For one, Uber Eats is exploring the extension of its vehicle and micromobility partnerships in the USA to achieve zero-emission deliveries. This helps delivery drivers better help the environment with the use of eBikes and electric cars.
Moreover, Uber is already working with French stakeholders to reduce packaging waste from deliveries, hoping to make similar moves in cities in the Asia-Pacific and Europe as soon as possible. The work on this has started, actually, with Uber’s partnership with Serve Robotics.
Uber Eats is a food delivery app that lets you order your cravings from a wide range of restaurants in your area. Track your order and wait for it to arrive in almost an instant.
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