Home delivery of food, drink, and medicines is a fantastic service for the user, as it is very convenient. The possibility of receiving an item within an hour can get you out of more than one tight spot, and it is something that is becoming cheaper and more accessible than ever.

But, as always, speed and convenience come at a price. In this case, it is not so much an unaffordable price since we are talking about deliveries that usually have a very small cost or are even free. The real price is the environmental impact of so many small, on-demand deliveries.

So many small, recurring orders mean more trips to deliver fewer products, which, in effect, means more vehicles on the road, more traffic, and, thus, more pollution. Not to mention the rest delivery infrastructure – in terms of storage and transport to delivery centers – that goes into offering super-fast last-mile deliveries in towns and cities around the world. We also have to consider that these small orders require packaging for each item. We already know that meals have to be well protected, given that they are usually transported on bicycles and
motorbikes.

These challenges, while significant, can also present new opportunities. Restaurants and retailers that embrace sustainability in a meaningful way will be able to set themselves apart from their competitors. And they will strike a chord with consumers who are aware that the health of the planet is a priority for everyone, including businesses. In this way, investing in sustainable delivery practices and creating a food delivery with sustainable packaging could impact your bottom line as much as it does the well-being of our planet.

Making Home Delivery More Sustainable

How are service providers facing these challenges? Are they motivated to make positive changes? Let’s look at each area in turn to understand what the future of home delivery holds.

Cleaner Transport

On-demand delivery means more vehicles are on the road to deliver smaller orders to customers. However, innovations in delivery vehicle technology are helping to mitigate these adverse effects. If smaller orders are delivered within a short radius, in what is known as last-mile delivery, smaller, less powerful vehicles can be used to make these deliveries. We already see bicycles, electric scooters, e-bikes, and small mopeds on our streets for food delivery in cities, and there are dozens of green options that will become increasingly common in the future. Just as electric transport is becoming more affordable and practical, electric bikes are also falling in price as battery technology improves. Electric motorcycles and scooters also have great potential for short-distance deliveries. And as fast, short-distance trade grows, delivery models will become increasingly efficient. This should lead to fewer journeys needed, which means fewer vehicles on the road and therefore fewer emissions.

Sustainable Packaging

One of the greatest areas for improvement in food delivery is undoubtedly the packaging materials used. To name just one striking fact: the fast food chain McDonald’s uses no less than 2.8 tons of packaging every minute around the world. There is a lot of room for work in lowering the amount of single-use plastics as well as other non-recyclable materials used for deliveries. To be fair to delivery platforms, things have improved over the past decade, with more and more restaurants and suppliers using sustainable packaging, including recyclable bags and boxes. Some packaging providers started providing restaurants with packaging made entirely from plants and free of harmful plastic. As more food delivery companies follow suit, the future will hold more eco-friendly delivery solutions.

Reduce Dood Waste

The convenience of home delivery is also a major contributor to food waste. While smaller orders of items intended to be consumed immediately can save on food waste compared to large orders placed with supermarkets well in advance, researches show that home delivery is a major problem due to the greater waste associated with it. There are two ways to tackle food waste in the restaurant and delivery world. There are technological solutions to curb overproduction and reduce the amount of waste generated. There are also ways to use food waste productively, on the like of using leftovers for staff meals or giving away unused food to people in need. Additionally, restaurants can use smart systems to identify where they can reduce food waste while increasing efficiency.

The very first step is to get a plan to quantify the amount of waste generated. Next, you can put measures in place to limit food waste. These can be implementing more structured recipe and inventory management systems to control purchasing, production, and product
rotation. Information provided by technology platforms can also help make the right decisions regarding quantities, menu management, and order management. When it comes to making use of food that would otherwise go to waste, restaurants and delivery service providers, have a number of schemes that you could put into practice. Big companies run projects to make wasted food available to food banks and people in need. Deliveries can use their logistics to collect surplus food and leftovers and donate them to charity organizations.

A Sustainable Future for Food Delivery

Is there a sustainable future for delivery? While the environmental impact of meal delivery remains a major challenge, it is quite encouraging to see restaurants and their food delivery apps taking steps to address the sustainability challenges of the industry. With consumers actively seeking out more sustainable ways to receive their food, there is plenty of incentive for food companies to be forward-thinking and make the right changes to their structures.