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Talabat to pilot 100% sustainable packaging in UAE

Dubai - Talabat’s sustainable packaging is 100 per cent plant-based and does not contain the commonly used PFAS chemical

Talabat has announced the launch of its Sustainable Packaging Program to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions across the region, starting with pilot operations in the UAE and Qatar.

The launch is part of Delivery Hero’s, talabat’s parent company, global roll-out of the program, across eight markets. Talabat’s new packaging, which will be available for select restaurant partners and vendors to adopt, is 100 per cent plant-based and contains no perfluoroalkoxy-alkanes (PFA), which are commonly known as forever chemicals, and cannot be broken down by nature. The packaging has also been rigorously tested to meet food safety, quality assurance, sustainability, and ethical supply standards.

Research conducted by Delivery Hero underlined that consumers want a more sustainable delivery ecosystem. More than 90 per cent of customers in the UAE would consider ordering from restaurants that offer sustainable packaging, while two thirds of customers in both UAE would order more from a restaurant that offers sustainable packaging.

Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of talabat, says that the organisation is committed to creating a sustainable delivery ecosystem. “Regionally, our ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable delivery ecosystem by constantly introducing industry-leading standards and innovations, and that every product purchased through our talabat platform be delivered in sustainable packaging. However, this is not a short-term, or medium-term fix. Through introducing our Sustainable Packaging Program to the region as a pilot, we are aiming to influence the reduction of food packaging wastage.”

Statistics from the National Geographic, and Ellen McArthur Foundation show that currently 91 per cent of the world’s plastic is not recycled, and 70 per cent of plastic ends up in landfills or the natural environment. By 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish.

Delivery Hero is introducing the initiative initially in seven other markets around the globe including Qatar, Austria, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, and Singapore. The company is able to produce this packaging at scale, with the aim of deploying 10 million units globally by the end of 2022, which makes it a cost-effective solution to normal packaging for restaurant partners and vendors.

Talabat has previously taken steps to reduce use of plastic by introducing a ‘no-cutlery’ default option at check-out for all orders made through the app, resulting in a 62.6 per cent increase in no-cutlery orders in just four months. Additionally, talabat mart, talabat’s own delivery-only 24/7 store, with no shopfront, and the region’s first to deliver groceries in less than 30 minutes, switched from paper bags to biodegradable and reusable bags that consume four times less energy to produce.

Jeremy Doutte, VP of talabat UAE, said: “Sustainability has always been a key part of our agenda and as we continue to grow, it is becoming increasingly important for us to take responsibility and reduce our environmental impact and carbon footprint as we envision a sustainability-driven future not just the coming few years, but for generations to come. This is yet another stride towards our goal to achieve carbon neutrality, aligned with that Delivery Hero, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE Vision 2021.”

rohma@khaleejtimes.com