EU / UK | AU / NZ | Singapore | Japan | Korea
Introduction: How Delivery Culture Is Reshaping Tableware
From sushi and salads to coffee and curry, the global appetite for delivery meals shows no sign of slowing down. What has changed, however, is the conversation surrounding how that food reaches customers. Consumers want convenience, but also expect sustainability. Delivery platforms, sitting at the intersection of restaurants, couriers, and customers, have quietly become powerful influencers of packaging choices.
Across regions, one small design change on a delivery app—like an “opt-out” toggle for disposable cutlery—has cut millions of plastic utensils from circulation. As platforms expand sustainability pledges and governments tighten waste-reduction rules, compostable and molded-pulp tableware are entering the spotlight.
This article takes a cross-market look—from Europe and Australasia to Singapore, Japan, and Korea—to understand how delivery platforms are shaping packaging behavior, and what that means for suppliers, brands, and buyers of compostable tableware.
Platform Behavior: Global Patterns in Sustainability
Across major delivery apps, sustainability has evolved from optional CSR to operational strategy. The trendlines are remarkably similar worldwide:
1. “Opt-in” for Cutlery and Extras
Starting with Uber Eats and foodpanda, most major platforms now default to no cutlery unless the customer requests it. This simple behavioral nudge, backed by psychology, helps reduce waste at scale. GrabFood and Deliveroo followed suit, while Baemin (Korea) and Just Eat (Europe) implemented comparable settings.
2. Platform–Supplier Partnerships
Beyond app toggles, some platforms have gone further. Just Eat partnered with Notpla, a seaweed-based coating producer, to introduce compostable sauce sachets and containers across Europe. Foodpanda Singapore teamed up with local vendors to test certified compostable boxes and paper cups.
3. Merchant Education
Platforms are providing toolkits for restaurants to identify sustainable suppliers, comply with local packaging rules, and communicate environmental choices to customers.
These changes, though modest on screen, translate into massive downstream impacts. Restaurants adjust purchasing habits, distributors update catalogs, and suppliers like InNature Pack—specializing in molded pulp and bagasse packaging—are fielding more inquiries about delivery-grade compostables that can handle heat, oil, stacking, and branding.
Market Snapshots: Platform Moves & Local Contexts
A. Singapore
In Singapore, where convenience culture meets environmental ambition, delivery platforms are among the first in Southeast Asia to operationalize “green nudges.”
- foodpanda and GrabFood both introduced cutlery-opt-out features years ago. Local reports credit these switches with reducing 160millions of single-use plastic items annually.
- Although Singapore’s Resource Sustainability Act doesn’t mandate compostable packaging, its Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) and upcoming Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) push brands toward measurable waste reduction.
For suppliers, this means buyers increasingly request proof of compostability, recyclability, or compliance with EN 13432 or ASTM D6400 standards even before local regulations require it.
InNature Pack’s molded-fiber bowls, plates, and clamshells—made from sugarcane bagasse and tested for food-contact safety—fit these expectations well. Their clean surface and grease-resistant options make them suitable for Singapore’s humid, delivery-intense market.
B. Japan
Japan’s delivery market, led by Uber Eats Japan and Demae-can, has also adopted the “no-default-cutlery” approach. Uber Eats Japan’s checkout interface now prompts users to tick a box if they need utensils—mirroring a national shift under Japan’s Plastic Resource Circulation Act (2022), which encourages retailers and food operators to reduce single-use plastics by providing items only upon request.
While Japan doesn’t yet mandate compostable packaging, the country’s high waste-segregation discipline and growing number of eco-friendly restaurant brands are paving the way. Paper-based and molded-fiber tableware—especially those with refined aesthetics—align with Japan’s emphasis on minimalism and cleanliness.
For suppliers, success means offering both functional durability and visual harmony. InNature Pack’s white and natural-light-brown color ranges, available for bowls, trays, and drinkware, suit the understated Japanese design sensibility while ensuring delivery-grade sturdiness.
C. Korea
Korea’s food-delivery ecosystem—dominated by Baedal Minjok (Baemin), Yogiyo, and Coupang Eats—is among the most mature globally. In recent years, these platforms have faced scrutiny for packaging waste volumes.
In response, Baemin and Yogiyo jointly introduced “utensils on demand” options and ran campaigns discouraging unnecessary side dishes or excess packaging. Governmental backing came via the Resource Circulation Act, targeting a reduction in disposable plastics by 50 % by 2030.
As compostable and paper-based alternatives gain visibility, Korean delivery apps are experimenting with premium eco-menus and merchant recognition programs for sustainable packaging. For molded-pulp suppliers, Korea represents a forward-looking but quality-sensitive market: the tableware must endure hot soups and long ride times while looking sleek enough for Seoul’s design-savvy consumers.
D. Europe / UK
Europe has become the reference point for regulated packaging reform.
- Just Eat Takeaway launched large-scale pilots with Notpla and paper-based packaging partners, distributing millions of compostable or recyclable boxes.
- In the UK, Deliveroo subsidizes sustainable packaging purchases through a £2.5 million fund, while Uber Eats supports merchants via a Green Packaging Marketplace offering discounts and grants for eco-friendly materials.
- The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)—expected to phase in from 2025 onward—sets mandatory recyclability and limited compostability criteria for specific items (like coffee pods, tea bags, lightweight bags).
Even though compostable packaging isn’t the default solution, delivery platforms must demonstrate compliance and progress toward circularity targets. This regulatory climate makes tested, certified, and PFAS-free molded-fiber packaging an attractive choice for foodservice and delivery brands alike.
InNature Pack’s products, compliant with EN 13432 and EU 2024/3190 (specific migration of bisphenols, six BPx substances), help importers and distributors meet both environmental and food-contact safety standards in one supply step.
E. Australia & New Zealand
Down Under, awareness has turned into regulation. Both countries have banned many single-use plastics and are introducing national packaging frameworks aiming for 100 % recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging by 2025.
- Uber Eats ANZ changed its default to no cutlery unless requested as early as 2019.
- Uber Eats has pledged to make 100 % of its food-delivery trips emission-free by 2040 and to eliminate “unnecessary” plastic waste from deliveries by 2030. Other major platforms in Australia and New Zealand, such as Menulog, have introduced similar packaging-reduction programs in line with national plastic-ban timelines.
For restaurants and distributors, that means the market now actively seeks packaging that balances functionality for hot take-away foods and certified compostability. Bagasse-based plates, bowls, and clamshells—lightweight yet sturdy—are widely adopted replacements for EPS and plastic clamshells.
InNature Pack’s line of heavy-duty bagasse containers (including multi-compartment trays and sushi boxes) already serve caterers and quick-service chains across this region, offering both presentation and performance.
What It All Means for Compostable Tableware Suppliers
The rise of sustainable delivery policies is reshaping expectations throughout the supply chain. Buyers no longer simply ask for “eco-friendly.” They now specify delivery performance + compliance + end-of-life clarity.
1. Functional durability comes first.
Compostable tableware must endure heat, moisture, oil, and vibration during transit. Molded-pulp and bagasse materials, especially when hot-pressed, outperform paperboard in rigidity and resist deformation with heavier meals.
2. Certification and transparency matter.
Each region aligns with different standards:
- EU → EN 13432 & food-contact migration limits (EU 2024/3190).
- AU/NZ → AS 4736 / AS 5810 industrial and home compostability marks.
- Asia → voluntary eco-labels and corporate sustainability reports.
Supplying documentation upfront—test reports, migration data, PFAS-free statements—builds immediate credibility.
3. Brand and consumer experience.
Delivery packaging doubles as a touchpoint: the moment a customer opens a compostable clamshell that looks premium and feels solid, the restaurant’s sustainability promise becomes tangible.
Buyer Checklist: Are You Delivery-Ready?
A quick self-assessment for foodservice distributors, delivery brands, and sourcing managers:
| # | Key Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Does your target delivery platform default to “no cutlery”? | Affects expected SKU mix and procurement volumes. |
| 2 | Are your bowls/boxes tested for heat, oil, and stacking under delivery conditions? | Prevents deformation and leakage during rides. |
| 3 | Which compostability or food-contact standards apply in your market (EU 13432, AS 4736, ASTM D6400)? | Ensures claims are credible and legal. |
| 4 | Is your supplier able to provide documentation and custom molding for your brand? | Reduces compliance risk and improves brand identity. |
| 5 | Have you aligned shipping terms (EXW / FOB / CIF) and MOQ with production planning? | Avoids delays and cost surprises. |
If any of these questions feel uncertain, your packaging program may not yet be “delivery-ready.”
Conclusion: Small Toggles, Big Shifts
Food-delivery platforms didn’t start as sustainability leaders, but their interface decisions are now influencing packaging ecosystems worldwide. Whether in London, Sydney, Seoul, or Singapore, the common thread is choice architecture: empowering users and merchants to reduce waste without losing convenience.
For packaging suppliers and buyers, this shift opens a clear opportunity—designing compostable tableware that performs in real delivery conditions while meeting evolving compliance standards.
At InNature Pack, we specialize in molded-pulp and bagasse packaging engineered for strength, heat resistance, and food safety—tested under EU 2024/3190 and compliant with EN 13432. Our team supports clients across Europe, Australasia, and Asia with professional quoting, custom molds, and global shipping under EXW, FOB, or CIF terms.
If you’d like to explore delivery-grade compostable packaging or receive our product catalog and compliance pack, contact us, and we’ll send it to you right away.
