Uber Eats partners with Planet Ark to help restaurants adopt more sustainable packaging

The delivery service has announced an “important” new partnership that will help consumers and restaurants do their bit for the planet.

A night in on the couch – with an order from Uber Eats on the way – has become a time-honoured tradition for millions of Aussies.

Now, in a move that makes the habit a bit more guilt-free, the delivery service has today announced a $13 million fund and multi-year partnership with Australia’s pre-eminent environmental organisation, Planet Ark, to assist restaurants in moving toward more sustainable packaging.

The collaboration has been described as an “important step” to help Uber Eats 50,000+ restaurant partners across Australia and New Zealand 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 Eats has announced a $13 million fund and multi-year partnership with Australia’s pre-eminent environmental organisation, Planet Ark. Picture: Supplied

Ms Nyst noted that “since making cutlery opt-in, rather than being included by default” when customers check out on Uber Eats, “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”.

Having “already seen the incredible impact our technology and scale can have”, she said the change brought by Uber Eats partnership with Planet Ark over the next three years “will be significant”.

Asked what changes Aussies will notice when using the platform, Ms Nyst said one we can expect to see is “an uptake of sustainable packaging options from restaurants when delivered via Uber Eats”.

“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.”

Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling and Uber Eats ANZ general manager Bec Nyst. Picture: Caroline McCredie/Supplied

Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling said companies face “increasing expectation from consumers, governments and the community to reduce the environmental impact of packaging”.

Ms Gilling pointed to the Federal Government’s announcement late last year that it will become the new regulator of packaging standards – an “encouraging development” that will mandate how packaging is designed, set minimum recycled content requirements, and prohibit 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,” she said.

Planet Ark is “delighted” to partner with Uber Eats, Ms Gilling said, and “to lift the standard for the sector more broadly”.

‘There is a clear need to provide support to small businesses – including restaurants – on how to reduce packaging waste best.’ Picture: Supplied

Ms Nyst agreed that the government’s move “is a positive signal for restaurants looking to shift to better packaging options”, adding it will “provide national 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.”

‘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.’ Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

The announcement follows the release of the Restaurant Pulsecheck Report, which revealed sustainability was a key focus for restaurant owners, with seven in ten industry respondents citing it as the most appealing social cause for customers.

Beloved local Sydney restaurants Lox in a Box and Cali Press are among those to already take steps to improve the packaging used across their businesses.

Given Lox in a Box is “predominantly a takeaway shop”, CEO Candy Berger said “it’s in these details that we can serve our customers and the planet better”.

“We place importance on the environment, from using sustainably sourced fish to our fully recyclable packaging,” Ms Berger said.

“At Cali Press, we firmly believe that without a healthy planet, we can’t be healthy,” founder and director, Scott Glasson, said.

“This belief fuels our commitment to ethical and sustainable practices on all fronts. From implementing compostable packaging that truly decomposes to eliminating plastic straws and promoting reusable alternatives, we are dedicated to leading the way in cultivating a healthier world for us all.”