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Uber Eats tries to combat carbon dioxide emissions and the impacts related to its business, first of all packaging wastedelivering takeaway food to customers in reusable and returnable packaging. The online food ordering and delivery platform launched in the United States by the transport company Uber and also active in some European countries such as France, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdombut not Italy, has started a partnership with for this purpose DeliverZeroa company specialized in promoting the spread of reusable packaging.
According to Uber, restaurants and municipalities face numerous problems related to waste sortinglimited access to composting and recycling infrastructure. While citizenship’s use of orders increases takeaway foodwith the consequent surge in the use of single-use packaging and plastic. The only solution, according to the online platform, is to collaborate with packaging suppliers in an attempt to offer sustainability-oriented options, without additional costs excessive, to over one million customers of Uber Eats services.
In previous years Uber Eats has focused on solutions based on packaging ecologico and has also implemented reusable packaging pilot projects in France, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom. Last year he experimented in collaboration with Starbucks an alternative system for the reuse of food containers which involves home collection. The partnership with DeliverZero marks a further step forward in the direction of home collection and signals the intention to test this solution on a larger scale.
Read also: Food packaging, 10 rules for having scalable reuse systems
How the DeliverZero model works
DeliverZero is a reusable container company from birth that is loved by many responsible consumers. The idea was born from a simple fact: customers return reusable containers directly to restaurants and this slows down both the number of people who adopt the virtuous behaviorand the diffusion of the model in big cities, where it is limited to doing it in restaurants near home. Lauren Sweeneythe founder of DeliverZero, was therefore inspired by courier collection services and created a adaptable model also for large-scale catering, based precisely on the possibility of home collection of containers and the use of sustainable packaging.
But there was an additional problem: initially reusable food containers were not available on all delivery appbut only through the DeliverZero marketplace. Another huge obstacle to the diffusion of the su model large scale. The turning point in 2022: DeliverZero announced a partnership with DoorDash and Uber Eats and recently added the app GrubHub (until a few weeks ago a Just Eat group company) and now DeliverZero is compatible with the main food ordering and delivery apps in the United States.
Read also: The Zero Waste Europe report explains what reuse needs to become mainstream
How many fewer containers did Uber Eats use
In just two years from the agreement with Uber Eats, initially active only in some restaurants in New York and Colorado, they have joined over 130 restaurants of the West Coast, particularly in the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Customers ordering food through Uber Eats in New York, Boulder, Denver, Los Angeles, or the Bay Area can decide by selecting the option “Use DeliverZero containers”to receive, with a additional $0.99, the meal delivered in a reusable container.
The customer can also choose between Various return options of the container: to the restaurant where you placed the order, to any restaurant participating in the Uber Eats-DeliverZero initiative, or you can schedule collection by a courier sent by DeliverZero. Since the partnership was launched a New York nel 2022it was estimated that it prevented 11,000 single-use containers from ending up in landfill. It is estimated that they were spared over 1,810 kg of greenhouse gas emissions and beyond 20,000 liters of water.
Read also: the Special on packaging regulation
**How does the DeliverZero model address concerns about hygiene and food safety when using reusable containers, particularly in the context of a home collection system?**
## Interview with Sink: Uber Eats and DeliverZero:
**A Conversation on Rethinking Food Delivery Packaging**
This interview aims to explore the partnership between Uber Eats and DeliverZero and its implications for sustainable food delivery practices.
**I. The Challenge of Food Delivery Waste**
* What are some of the major environmental challenges posed by the rise of food delivery services?
* Beyond packaging waste, what other environmental considerations should be factored into the sustainability of food delivery models?
* The article mentions issues with waste sorting and recycling infrastructure. How can such systemic challenges be addressed to support more sustainable packaging solutions?
**II. The DeliverZero Model: A Deeper Dive**
* Can you explain how the DeliverZero model works in practice? What are the key elements that make it a viable solution?
* How does the home collection aspect of DeliverZero address some of the limitations of in-restaurant return systems for reusable containers?
* What are the logistical challenges associated with scaling up a home collection system like DeliverZero’s?
**III. The Uber Eats Partnership: Impact and Future Prospects**
* What motivated Uber Eats to partner with DeliverZero, and what impact has this partnership had so far?
* How does the pricing model (additional $0.99 for reusable containers) influence consumer choices and the overall viability of the program?
* What are the key factors that will determine the success of this partnership in promoting widespread adoption of reusable packaging?
**IV. Beyond Uber Eats: The Broader Context**
* What lessons can be learned from the Uber Eats-DeliverZero partnership that could be applied to other industries struggling with packaging waste?
* What role can policymakers play in encouraging the adoption of reusable packaging solutions?
* Looking to the future, what innovations or changes do you envision in the food delivery sector regarding sustainable packaging practices?
These open-ended questions are designed to encourage thoughtful discussion and explore diverse perspectives on the complex issues surrounding food delivery packaging.
