Zomato Introduces 'Food Rescue' Initiative to Combat Food Wastage
New Delhi, [Date] - In a significant move to reduce food wastage, Zomato has unveiled its latest feature, 'Food Rescue', as announced by CEO Deepinder Goyal on social media. This innovative solution aims to redistribute canceled food orders to nearby customers at discounted rates, ensuring that the food does not go to waste.
Goyal highlighted the issue of food wastage due to cancellations, stating, "We don't encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage." Despite having stringent policies and a no-refund policy for cancellations, approximately 400,000 orders are canceled each month by customers for various reasons. This persistent problem has been a concern not only for Zomato but also for its restaurant partners and the customers who cancel these orders.
Under the 'Food Rescue' initiative, when an order is canceled, it will appear on the Zomato app for users within a 3 km radius of the delivery partner carrying the food. These customers can claim the canceled order at a significantly reduced price, but they must act quickly as the offer is only available for a few minutes to ensure the food remains fresh.
Zomato has clarified that no proceeds will be retained by the company from these transactions except for the necessary government taxes. The payment made by the new customer will be split between the original customer (if payment was made online) and the restaurant. However, items sensitive to temperature and distance like ice creams, shakes, and certain perishable goods will not be eligible for this program.
To further support the delivery ecosystem, Goyal mentioned that delivery partners will receive full compensation for their trips, accounting for both the initial delivery attempt and the subsequent delivery to the new customer.
This initiative not only addresses food wastage but also promotes a circular economy within the food delivery sector, making Zomato a pioneer in sustainable food practices. The 'Food Rescue' feature is currently being scaled up across the platform.
Zomato's proactive approach to tackle this environmental issue has been met with positive feedback from the community, looking forward to more sustainable practices in the industry.
For more details or to participate in the 'Food Rescue' program, customers can visit the Zomato app or follow updates on their official social media channels.
About Zomato: Zomato is a leading food delivery and restaurant discovery platform, operating in over 1,000 cities across India and internationally. The company continues to innovate in providing better dining and delivery experiences for its users while addressing broader issues like sustainability and food wastage.