Uber Eats partners with PlanetArk to clean up food packaging
Uber Eats has announced a $13 million fund and a three-year partnership with Planet Ark.
The partnership will see the tech giant and environmental organisation, work together to help restaurants become more sustainable through packaging.
Uber Eats has 50,000+ restaurant partners across Australia and New Zealand. It aims to help them transition to reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging options by 2030.
“To have [Planet Ark] share their expertise on packaging selection, energy use, organic waste and recycling best practices with our restaurant partners is going to be invaluable,” Uber Eats ANZ general manager, Bec Nyst, told news.com.au.
Uber first moved to reduce its partners’ footprints when it made cutlery an opt-in decision.
“We estimate eaters have helped reduce the equivalent weight of four jumbo jets worth of plastic forks, spoons and the like ending up in Australian landfill,” Nyst said.
Moving forward, Uber users will be given sustainable packaging options.
“Aussies will soon start to see more sustainable packaging being delivered to their doors that can be reused, recycled or composted and they’ll be equipped with more knowledge to ensure they know what to do with their package when they’re finished with it,” Nyst, told news.com.au.
Planet Ark is set to become the new regulator of packaging standards, a responsibility it was given by the Federal Government.
Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling said mandates for how packaging is designed will be mandated along with minimum recycled content requirements and prohibiting harmful chemicals from being used.
“While this is a positive outcome, there is still much to do, and there is a clear need to provide support to small businesses – including restaurants – on how to reduce packaging waste best,” Gilling said.
Nyst said the mandates will deliver certainty and consistency for businesses.
“We know many restaurants are already making significant investments in packaging, and a unified national approach delivering consistency on minimum recycled content requirements, will only empower these larger enterprises to continue their investments,” she said.
“We believe the most significant impact Uber Eats can have in the immediate term is to educate and support small to medium-sized businesses working in the restaurant and catering industry. This is a multi-year journey, and by starting with Planet Ark’s educational resources, we’ll endeavour to help restaurants make the shift to more sustainable packaging.”
A Restaurant Pulsecheck Report recently revealed sustainability was a key focus for restaurant owners.
Jonathan Jackson, 22nd January 2024
