Following the growth of the fast food industry over the last three years, it’s expected to be worth a whopping £9.8bn by 2021.  With over 26 thousand independent fast food outlets already operating throughout the UK, research firm MCA Insight confirm fast food dominates service led restaurants and they predict the foodservice delivery market will soon outperform the overall UK eating out market, with further substantial growth opportunities. 

We can already see established restaurants chains such as Nando’s and Zizzi now offering customers food delivery and businesses like Deliveroo extending their services to a wider range of foodservice establishments.

FAST FOOD OUTLETS DEFINED

The fast food market or quick service restaurants (QSR) are defined by having limited to no table service, that prepare to serve food immediately.  Although big brands such as McDonalds are still among the major competitors, takeaway food outlets including bakeries, café’s and food vans are all included, with the number of independent outlets far outweighing the branded restaurants.

CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF FAST FOOD PACKAGING

With the highest concentration of fast food outlets on UK high streets in a decade, and today’s consumer more eco conscious than ever, the packaging used to serve up takeaway or delivery food, will be under scrutiny from the consumer. 

There have been many surveys confirming this, one such survey was carried out by Waitrose & Partners after BBC One’s episode of Blue Planet showing consumers the effect of plastic on the environment.  Waitrose research suggested that after watching the documentary a staggering 88% of people changed their behaviour towards single-use plastic consumption.  Today we are even more aware of the negative impact single use plastics have on our environment, and very few of us ignore it.  This means consumers are actively trying to avoid buying products that use plastic where possible and are checking how they can dispose of the packaging before product purchase.

Regardless of whether you’re offering to deliver a delicious pizza, dishing up take-outs from a bakery or serving up nutritious vegan food on the go, the packaging you use will say a lot about your business and has the potential to affect repeat business and future sales.

WHAT TYPES OF FAST FOOD PACKAGING ARE AVAILABLE?

With the growing interest to remove plastic single use packaging, the takeaway food packaging industry has seen a steep increase in the number of eco-friendly products available, with new types of biodegradable, compostable and recyclable food and drink containers coming into the market all the time.  At Takeaway Packaging we have heavily invested in sourcing some of the best products available, these include packaging made from bioplastics, cardboard and even sugar cane pulp!

CARDBOARD CUPS, SOUP BOWLS, NOODLE BOXES & TAKEAWAY BOXES

Cardboard is still one of the most used materials for food packaging due to its sustainability and recycling options.  We stock many cardboard based food boxes and containers that can at the very least be recycled or even better, will biodegrade and de-compose. We have lots of options, suitable for hot or cold food.

SUGAR CANE PULP FOOD CONTAINERS & PLATES

Food containers made from Sugarcane Bagasse make the ideal eco-friendly fast food vessel.  As well as being compostable and quick to biodegradable it’s also an environmentally sustainable option.

Sugarcane bagasse is the fibre that remains after the sugars have been extracted from sugarcane stalks.  Rather than discarding or burning the stalks, the pulp is made into a paper-like substance called Bagasse.  Bagasse can be moulded into shapes and products that are perfect for the food industry.  At Takeaway Packaging we stock a large range of plates, bowls, trays and containers all of which are microwave and refrigerator safe. 

BIOPLASTIC PACKAGING FOR TAKAWAY FOOD & DRINK

Sometimes plastic-like packaging is favoured by manufacturers and suppliers, it’s cheap, easy to use and at times safer than glass.  That’s why we offer bioplastic solutions – Bioplastics don’t have such a negative impact on the environment as traditional plastics.  The product range we offer, which includes clear smoothie cups, bowls and food tray lids are made from Ingeo Bioplastic Polylactic acid (PLA) which is a plant-based renewable material with an 80% lower carbon footprint than traditional oil-based plastic.  This material is also 100% compostable and biodegradable.

PAPER BAGS

Another area we have seen an increase in, due it it’s environmental impact (or rather lack of) are paper bags.  Using less material than some other forms of food packaging, paper bags are a low cost, eco-friendly way to take out food, making them perfect for fast-food and takeaway outlets. 

As with most of the packaging we offer, paper bags are an ideal way to show of your brand by opting to have them personalised and printed.

You can shop for the full range of our eco-packaging here