The push for eco-friendly food deliveries comes with a steep price tag. Adopting sustainable and biodegradable packaging could increase the overall cost of food orders by 10% to 30% for consumers, according to food delivery giant Zomato, as reported by newspaper daily The Hindu. Currently, the vast majority of food deliveries rely on plastic containers and wrapping, which typically account for just 5% of a consumer's total order cost. Transitioning to sustainable alternatives like bagasse (sugarcane fiber), aluminum, paper, and earthenware introduces a significant affordability challenge for the industry.
Anjali Ravi Kumar, Zomato's Chief Sustainability Officer, told The Hindu that consumers are hesitant to absorb the premium associated with green packaging. However, she expects this financial hurdle to be temporary. "Customers have to pay for the packaging; however, their willingness to pay for sustainable packaging has its limits," said Kumar. "Sustainable packaging can become affordable as adoption increases and economies of scale kick in. Once the scale is achieved, the prices will naturally go down."
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Rewarding Plastic-Free Choices
Zomato is also aiming to empower environmentally conscious consumers by introducing a "low-plastic-packaging" filter on its app, making it easier for users to discover and order from eco-friendly restaurants. Through its Plastic-Free Future Programme, the food delivery platform has already recognized over 10,000 restaurants across more than 500 cities for replacing plastic with sustainable alternatives for their main menu items. While the initial cost of going green remains high, Zomato's initiatives signal a broader industry shift toward reducing plastic waste in the food delivery ecosystem, according to the report.
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