The launch is part of Delivery Hero’s (talabat’s parent company) global rollout of the programme, across eight markets.
talabat’s new packaging, which will be available for selected restaurant partners and vendors to adopt, is 100% plant-based and contains no perfluoroalkoxy-alkanes (PFA), which are commonly known as forever chemicals, and cannot be broken down by nature. The packaging has also been rigorously tested to meet food safety, quality assurance, sustainability and ethical supply standards, talabat has said in a statement.
Research conducted by Delivery Hero underlined that consumers want a more sustainable delivery ecosystem. Some 88% of customers in Qatar would consider ordering from restaurants that offer sustainable packaging, while two-thirds of customers in Qatar would order more from a restaurant that offers sustainable packaging.
Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of talabat, says the organisation is committed to creating a sustainable delivery ecosystem.
“Globally, I think everyone can agree that a plastic-free world is imperative. Statistics from the National Geographic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation show that currently 91% of the world’s plastic is not recycled - and 70% of plastic ends up in landfills or the natural environment. By 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. That is the enormity of the challenge that, as a planet, we are facing.
"Regionally, our ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable delivery ecosystem by constantly introducing industry-leading standards and innovations, and that every product purchased through our talabat platform be delivered in sustainable packaging.
"However, this is not a short-term or medium-term fix. Through introducing our Sustainable Packaging Programme to the region as a pilot, we are aiming to influence the reduction of food packaging wastage.
"Also, as part of Delivery Hero, who are introducing this same initiative initially in eight markets around the globe - Qatar, the UAE, Austria, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary and Singapore, we are able to produce this packaging at scale, with the aim of deploying 10mn units globally by the end of 2022, which makes it a cost-effective solution to normal packaging for our restaurant partners and vendors."
talabat has previously taken steps to reduce the use of plastic by introducing a “no-cutlery” default option at check-out for all orders made through the app, resulting in a 74% increase in no-cutlery orders in just a few months in Qatar and saving over 10mn plastic cutleries.
Additionally, talabat mart, talabat’s own delivery-only 24/7 store with no shop-front, and the region’s first to deliver groceries in less than 30 minutes, switched to biodegradable and reusable bags that consume four times less energy to produce.
Francisco De Sousa, managing director of talabat Qatar, added: “We are thrilled to be among the first countries introducing sustainable packaging to the market, launching it in Qatar along with seven other countries worldwide. We are highly committed to Qatar’s 2030 sustainability vision, and believe that every action to protect the environment is a step forward towards a better future. We encourage our partners and customers to adopt new habits through these sustainable packaging initiatives and we look forward to developing Qatar’s sustainability market.”