Zomato’s new feature offers discounted, safe-to-eat cancelled orders, reducing food waste and saving costs.
Zomato has introduced an innovative feature called Food Rescue to combat the significant issue of food wastage due to order cancellations. Announced by cofounder and CEO Deepinder Goyal on November 10, the new feature allows customers to purchase food from cancelled orders at a discounted price, provided the packaging is untampered. This means that when an order is cancelled, nearby customers can opt to buy it at an unbeatable price and receive it within minutes.
The Scale of Food Wastage Problem
Zomato processes around 400,000 cancelled orders each month, contributing to an enormous amount of food waste. Goyal shared on X (formerly Twitter): “We don’t encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage. 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.”
How Food Rescue Works
Under the new system, cancelled orders will appear as available to nearby customers who can purchase them at a lower cost and receive them quickly. This ensures that food, which would otherwise go to waste, is repurposed efficiently. By leveraging its existing logistics infrastructure, Zomato’s approach helps reduce food waste and provides customers with cost-effective meal options.
Benefits to Consumers and the Environment
The Food Rescue initiative aligns with global efforts to combat food waste, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the UN, nearly one-third of all food produced globally is wasted. Zomato’s feature not only offers affordable meals but also supports a sustainable ecosystem by redirecting food to those who can consume it.
In Goyal’s words, “Cancelled orders will now pop up for nearby customers, who can grab them at an unbeatable price, in their original untampered packaging, and receive them in just minutes.” This initiative marks an important step toward tackling food waste while benefiting customers looking for economical meal options.
Zomato’s Food Rescue could potentially set a new standard in the food delivery industry by promoting sustainability and smart resource management.
