Food delivery app Uber Eats has launched a reusable packaging trial where London-based customers will be able to choose to order their takeaway in reusable and returnable containers to reduce single-use waste.
The trial will analyse if on-the-door collections of reusable packaging can increase the popularity of reuse systems and improve convenience. Once Uber Eats customers have finished their meals and rinsed containers, they can choose a day for collection via a QR code.
According to a report by Hubbub, 63% of customers are open to borrowing and returning a reusable container for a takeaway meal.
Matthew Price, Uber Eats general manager, UK and Ireland said: “We know consumers care about the impact that their decisions have on the environment, and we are delighted to be part of this innovative trial which is another step in our mission to do our part in helping the food delivery ecosystem transition to a cleaner and greener future.”
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Collections will be low or no emissions as they will be made by couriers using bikes or electric vehicles.
The Uber Eats project will be managed by Again, a reusable packaging supply chain company, one of six winning projects chosen by the £1.4 million Bring It Back Fund launched by Hubbub and Starbucks to fund trial new solutions and systems for sustainable packaging in the food and beverage industry.
Replying to a LinkedIn comment which asked about food that will affect the recyclability of its packaging, Again clarified: “A type of food can be considered not fit for reuse because of a couple of different reasons, including the following:
- Food itself doesn’t travel well on materials currently used for reuse – for example burgers and fries can get soggy if put inside plastic packaging
- Depending on the reuse model, it might be too expensive to move an item into reuse – for example, pizzas are most likely to work in a deposit system because of the expensive nature of the reusable packaging currently being used for pizzas (this can change in the future!).
- Some food ingredients can be more prone to stains than others – for example tomato-based sauces can stain packaging very quickly. But this doesn’t mean they are fit for reuse, if they are cleaned in a timely manner, this can be avoided.”
The trial will run for six months with a group of restaurant partners on Uber Eats. Participating restaurants are located within a 5km radius of the Again facility in Kennington Park.
