Uber Eats is introducing a Green Packaging Framework to help restaurants better improve their sustainability.
Uber Eats is introducing a Green Packaging Framework to help restaurants better improve their sustainability.
Users of food delivery service Uber Eats will soon be able to see if their favourite take-out will come in sustainable packaging.
Uber Eats NZ has released a framework designed to help restaurants and small businesses across the country better assess if their packaging is meeting sustainable standards.
The GreenPackaging Framework, adapted in partnership with circular economy researchers at the University of Auckland’s Circuit Research Centre, provides practical guidance on which packaging materials can be recycled, composted or reused.
Based on the established guidelines from the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), the framework uses a three-step process to assess the sustainability of food delivery packaging.
Included in the framework is a diverse range of materials currently used for packaging, including plastic bags, sugarcane bowls, PET based containers, paper-lined containers and compostable PLA cups among others.
Andy Bowie, UberEats New Zealand general manager. Photo / Supplied
Uber Eats New Zealand general manager Andy Bowie said the initiative offered clarity and gives restaurants the confidence to make informed, practical choices that work within New Zealand’s infrastructure.
“While many of our restaurant partners want to do their part in the sustainability area, many are unsure where to start - especially given how much New Zealand’s waste systems have changed. We also appreciate that to make the shift, for most this will come at a cost,” Bowie said.
In order to be assessed, merchants will have to provide information about the packaging they are currently using, including the format, material, labelling and certification, coding for material identification, and the manufacturer or suppliers details.
Alongside the framework, Uber Eats NZ has committed up to $10 million over the next two years in funding to help restaurants in New Zealand and Australia make the switch to more sustainable packaging through programmes and subsidies.
That funding will also go to launching an online marketplace where restaurant partners can access sustainable packaging options that meet Uber’s criteria.
Users of the app who want to consciously reward businesses that have made the switch to sustainable packaging will be able to see on the app which business have passed under the framework, identifiable with a new icon set to be added to stores.
The Restaurant Association of New Zealand shared its support for the initiative, noting many of its members are already partners with Uber Eats.
Restaurant Association of New Zealand chief executive Marisa Bidois said the framework meets businesses where they are.
“Restaurant operators are facing growing pressure to adapt, from regulatory change to rising customer expectations, all while juggling the day-to-day realities of running a business,” Bidois said.
“It offers clarity without being prescriptive and acknowledges the different challenges faced by small and independent operators trying to make more sustainable choices.”
Reviewing the research behind the initiative was professor Saeid Baroutian, executive director of the Circuit Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
A key focus for the framework was to align it with New Zealand’s waste and recycling infrastructure, including recent changes such as standardised kerbside collections and regulations on single-use plastics.
Baroutian explained that while Kiwi businesses may be using what is described as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” packaging, the geographical context is a critical piece that needs to be considered.
“Too often, packaging is labelled ‘sustainable’ without considering how it’s actually processed here,” Baroutian said.
He said that he and his team had engaged with a number of stakeholders when reviewing the framework, particularly local communities.
Baroutian shared that while Uber Eats’ framework is a good start, there still remains key challenges facing New Zealand’s transition to sustainable alternatives, particularly when it comes to education.
The framework was originally developed for Australia in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
