The food delivery industry has boomed during the last few years in Hong Kong. This growth has been accelerated by the onset of the pandemic but it has also raised a key question: how can food delivery tackle its environmental footprint and become more sustainable?
foodpanda Hong Kong, for example, has taken the lead with a Sustainable Packaging Programme, which helps restaurants to source sustainable packaging made of PFA-free sugarcane bagasse with ease and at highly competitive prices. With the upcoming regulations surrounding single-use plastic tableware, such initiatives will likely become more relevant. As of now, more than 40 restaurant brands have benefited from this programme.
Beyond packaging, foodpanda Hong Kong is also helping restaurants become greener through its Sustainable Restaurant Certification Scheme. Launched in partnership with WWF-Hong Kong, the Scheme assesses and promotes restaurants which have met a stringent set of criteria related to packaging, ingredient sourcing, waste management and more. To date, 74 restaurant brands have been assessed with 54 of them certified, such as Treehouse, KALE, Green Common and Spicebox Organics.
Furthermore, reducing carbon emissions is also a key focus. In 2021, foodpanda APAC underwent its first carbon audit with plans to set science-based targets and to implement carbon offsetting in the horizon.
With food delivery being such a new industry, standards and best practices regarding sustainability may be relatively lacking but market leaders such as foodpanda Hong Kong are clearly forging ahead to create a greener future for food. Stay tuned for an exciting upcoming launch for a reusable packaging pilot!