Food delivery giant Deliveroo is promising a crackdown on plastic cutlery and a switch to eco-packaging made from sugarcane.
The company will make plastic cutlery an ‘opt in’ selection on orders, which is expected to cut the amount distributed by more than 50 per cent.
The landmark moves are expected to dramatically reduce the amount of throwaway plastic used by restaurants offering home delivery.
And Deliveroo said the initiative, which will launch in the UK, will then be taken to the 12 other countries it operates in around the world.
Food delivery giant Deliveroo is promising a crackdown on plastic cutlery and a switch to eco-packaging made from sugarcane.
The company is offering restaurant chains which use Deliveroo drivers 50 new packaging products that are biodegradable, compostable or recyclable. Significantly, it says these packs are no more expensive than plastic.
The eco-packs include a range of BePulp burger boxes, bowls and platters made from bagasse, which is created from the dry pulpy residues left once the juice has been removed from sugarcane.
These are suitable for both cold and dry hot foods and the clear lids are made from recycled plastic.
There are also Kraft paper salad bowls, which are sustainably sourced, made from renewable resources and biodegradable.
It will also offer paper straws and boxes, as well as knives and forks which look like plastic but are made from a sugar derivative.
Deliveroo said that, at the moment, there are no practical alternatives to plastic when it comes to transporting hot liquids, but it is working on a solution with the packaging industry.
The company is offering restaurant chains which use Deliveroo drivers 50 new packaging products that are biodegradable, compostable or recyclable
The company ran a trial in the UAE where the option of receiving plastic cutlery was changed to ‘opt in’ on the order page of its app. As a result, some 85per cent of the restaurants saw a reduction of over 50per cent in the amount sent out.
A repeat of the trial with ‘The Diner’ chain, which has four outlets in London, found a reduction of 90per cent. Now it will be adopted for all Deliveroo orders.
The company has already received commitments from several restaurant partners to switch to the eco-packaging and expects others to follow suit.
These include the burger chain MEATliquor, The Diner, Heavenly Desserts, and independent restaurants such as Farmstand.
The move is designed to cut the use of plastic cutlery by takeaway lovers
Also signed up are a number of partners from its Deliveroo Editions service, where meals are delivered direct from specialist kitchens rather than high street restaurants. These include Mother Clucker, Cocotte and Lievita.
The Daily Mail has campaigned to highlight plastic waste and pollution for ten years. In January, Theresa May, announced a new environment strategy, including efforts to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042, however some businesses are already making great strides to eliminate it.
The Deliveroo founder, Will Shu, said: ‘Deliveroo wants to transform the way people eat, ensuring everybody can have great food when and where they want it, and we want them to enjoy meals that are sustainably delivered and packaged.
‘As a company we are determined to help contribute to efforts to reduce the amount of plastic we all use in society and deliver real, tangible changes that will help our environment.
‘We know this is only the start. We will be working with our restaurant partners and customers to address this long-term challenge.’
Matthew Ford, of The Diner, said: ‘This is a great way to reduce the amount of plastic society uses.’
A spokesman for MEATliquor said: ‘It’s important that the food travels well and arrives the way we’d like it to, but it’s more important that what it is travelling in is sustainable. We’re working closely with Deliveroo to ensure the delivery process from their end and ours is as environmentally friendly as possible.’
Heavenly Desserts said: ‘Deliveroo has enabled us to bring delicious food direct to customers’ doors. We’re delighted that these new changes will mean we can do this in a way that is more sustainable and eco-friendly than ever before.’
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: ‘I am delighted to see Deliveroo’s commitment to reduce the amount of single-use plastics and encourage more sustainable packaging. Industry has a vital role to play in driving out avoidable plastic waste so we can all leave our planet in a better state than we found it.