The dining habits of people have changed over the years in India and it’s a matter of seconds that one can now order online their preferred food. Though, it is quite feasible to get food delivered to your home easily, there are times when many of us cancel the ‘ordered food’ without thinking much which can lead to food wastage as that food never reaches anyone. Seeing this food wastage, Zomato, which is the leading food delivery giant in India has introduced a new feature on their mobile app called ‘Food Rescue’, which can help people find food at a discounted price and this move can cut food wastage prominently. This strategic move by Zomato addresses one of the biggest challenges faced not just by restaurants and consumers, but also by the company itself.
The company’s CEO Deepinder Goyal took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce this feature and posted that “In spite of stringent policies, and a no-refund policy for cancellations, more than 4 lakh perfectly good orders get cancelled on Zomato, for various reasons by customers.” He further shared that “The cancelled order will pop up on the app for customers within a 3 km radius of the delivery partner carrying the order. And to ensure freshness, the option to claim will only be available for a few minutes.”
The company has assured that the meals will be delivered in their original packaging to ensure quality and hygiene. For example, ice creams and milkshakes – not so fresh products – are not to be let into this feature as their freshness may decay very quickly and can become hazardous to the entire food safety system.
Pros for consumers and restaurants
The ‘Food Rescue’ feature will not just contribute to the reduction of waste but also to a lot of affordable food for consumers. Customers will be able to buy fresh, untouched meals at reduced prices, and cancelled orders become a chance to dine budget-friendly.
This benefits restaurants for they get a percentage of the profits gained from the sale of the meal through resale. It not only repays them for the amount that is lost but also puts to use their prepared food. A strategy that leads to both the restaurant industry and its customers changing an otherwise waste scenario into a mutually beneficial situation for both parties.
Positive impact on partners of delivery
One of the lesser-known advantages of the ‘Food Rescue’ is relief from the economic pressure on delivery partners, as they get fully paid for these cancelled trips. More importantly, if the order is claimed by another customer, the delivery person gets an additional fee for completing the delivery. This encourages means of survival for the delivery personnel who turn untaken trips into a successful journey.
Food waste affects all people in the world and incurs massive economic and environmental losses. ‘Food Rescue’ ensures that this issue gets addressed through responsible consumption and less pressure on landfills.
We don’t encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage.
Inspite of stringent policies, and and a no-refund policy for cancellations, more than 4 lakh perfectly good orders get canceled on Zomato, for various reasons by customers.… pic.twitter.com/fGFQQNgzGJ
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) November 10, 2024
Reports reveal India wastes around 67 million tonnes of food annually. An amount that is capable of feeding millions of undernourished citizens could have helped alleviate hunger within the country. Though very small, by ensuring cancelled foods are provided to the needy, Zomato has taken an innovative step toward larger initiatives to guarantee food security. With this, it also leaves a strong message: such wastage reduces sustainable food practices, and resources become worthwhile rather than idle.
The ‘Food Rescue’ feature by Zomato, that’s a promising start to food waste reduction while still saving the interest of all parties involved: restaurants and delivery partners and consumers. And it is such potential that shows how tech solutions can solve otherwise knotty social problems and pave the way for other companies to replicate this practice. Specifically, this innovation may mark Zomato as a food delivery industry leader in establishing benchmarks as it encourages other companies to be more proactive in controlling their food waste.
The innovation therefore shows that business and community solutions can therefore work together where profitability is pursued hand-in-hand with social responsibility.
(Images courtesy: iStock)
