Zomato Launches 'Plastic-Free Future' Campaign to Promote Sustainability

Zomato, India’s popular food ordering and delivery platform, has officially launched its ‘Plastic-Free Future’ campaign. The long-term initiative is designed to celebrate restaurant partners who are making a conscious effort to adopt sustainable packaging solutions for their food deliveries. This step aligns with Zomato’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, encouraging restaurant partners to switch to eco-friendly packaging options that have a minimal environmental impact.

As part of this initiative, Zomato has created a program that makes it easier for customers to identify restaurants that are part of the “Plastic-Free Future” program. These restaurants will be marked with a banner on their menu page and a clear call-out in the order summary on the Zomato app, helping customers support businesses that are striving to reduce their plastic usage.

So far, more than 200 restaurant brands across 30+ cities have joined the program. These restaurants have submitted detailed evidence of their commitment to using sustainable packaging, such as photos and certificates, to confirm that their main dishes are packed using eco-friendly alternatives. The campaign aims to build a plastic-free ecosystem by celebrating the efforts of these restaurants and encouraging others to follow suit.

Zomato’s effort to reduce the environmental impact of packaging is not new. Over the past few years, the company has introduced several initiatives to minimize the effect of food delivery packaging on the environment. For example, it has given customers the option to opt out of receiving cutlery with their orders, and it has also been actively involved in recycling plastic waste. In addition, Zomato hosted the Zomato X Start-Up India Packathon, which brought attention to startups working on innovative, plastic-free packaging solutions for the food delivery industry.

To help accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices across the three lakh restaurants Zomato serves in over 700 cities, the company is urging customers to order from the restaurants that are actively reducing plastic use. By creating demand for sustainable packaging, Zomato hopes to encourage more restaurants to adopt eco-conscious practices, thus scaling up efforts for a more sustainable future.

Rakesh Ranjan, CEO of Food Delivery at Zomato, explained, “Through this campaign, our goal is to build a sustainable food delivery ecosystem by celebrating restaurants that are committed to reducing plastic usage. At Zomato, we are dedicated to shaping a future where sustainability is woven into everything we do, both as a company and across our partnerships.”

Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer at Zomato, emphasized the importance of sustainability for the brand, stating, “Sustainability is embedded in Zomato’s DNA, and we are committed to driving business practices that prioritize both social and environmental sustainability. The launch of the Plastic-Free Future Program was a direct response to growing concerns about environmental sustainability within the food delivery industry. By recognizing and rewarding eco-conscious brands, we aim to accelerate the adoption of plastic-free alternatives across the restaurant industry and create a positive environmental impact.”