Amsterdam’s Just Eat Takeaway to implement sustainable packaging across all UEFA tournaments

Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com, an online food delivery marketplace and one of the main partners of all UEFA club competitions, announced on Thursday that it is accelerating the use of sustainable packaging across UEFA competition finals this summer.

In 2022, the company collaborated with Earthshot prize winner Notpla to offer 85,000 seaweed-lined packaging to fans at three UEFA football events. 

The company is currently expanding its offering across Europe by increasing the usage of Notpla packaging at large sporting events. 

About the initiative

According to the company, mass athletic events can produce up to seven tonnes of garbage on average. 

Fans attending the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Eindhoven will be given reusable packaging when ordering their meals as part of a circular packaging initiative led by Just Eat Takeaway.com, PepsiCo, and Heineken.

This packaging will be returned at the conclusion of the game, washed, and then used for future events. As part of this initiative, Just Eat Takeaway wants to replace more than 20,000 pieces of single-use plastic packaging. 

This programme is part of Just Eat Takeaway’s effort to eliminate single-use plastic packaging through creative means, including the usage of reusables. 

Since 2021, the company has collaborated with several suppliers of reusable packaging to test the concept for the meal delivery industry. 

The firm has also expanded its collaboration with reusable packaging supplier Vytal, with whom it currently does business in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, to test the idea at a sporting event for the UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

How will the partnership with UEFA help?

To combat plastic pollution, football fans attending the Champions League final in Istanbul, the Europa League final in Budapest, and the Conference League final in Prague will have access to more than 175,000 of Notpla’s sustainable seaweed food packaging. 

This comes as part of Just Eat Takeaway’s partnership with UEFA.

The seaweed-coated container is plastic-free, recyclable, and compostable. It can also decompose spontaneously after a few weeks, much like a piece of fruit.

Jaz Rabadia, Head of Responsible Business and Sustainability at Just Eat Takeaway, says, “We’re committed to driving more sustainable behaviour across our wider community and using our global partnership with UEFA is a great opportunity for us to showcase to football fans that we can all enjoy our favourite food in a more sustainable way.”

“We’re excited to build on the work we did last year by introducing both reusable and more sustainable single use packaging options to even more football events this year.”

To foster a more sustainable future for food delivery, Just Eat Takeaway collaborated with Notpla in 2018. As a result, Notpla’s seaweed-lined takeout box has been introduced in eight European regions.

Pierre-Yves Paslier, co-founder and co-CEO of Notpla, says, “We are delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with Just Eat Takeaway, showcasing our ability to work together to eradicate single-use plastic at scale in some of the world’s largest catering environments.”

“Our seaweed-coated packaging allows football fans to feel good about their meal and dispose of the packaging guilt-free. With no hidden plastic, no chemicals and no confusing disposal methods, it’s great to see these fans supporting our mission to make packaging disappear!”

About Just Eat Takeaway

Just Eat Takeaway is focused on connecting consumers and partners through its online food delivery marketplace. The company is connected with nearly 692,000 partners and offers consumers a wide variety of food choices.

The firm has operations in the US, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland.