Take-Away Culture Gets a Makeover
London-based PriestmanGoode studio has designed a range of bento-style food containers and a bag for takeaway deliveries based on circular design principles
All images © PriestmanGoode studio
The concept for a range of bento-style food containers and a bag takeaway deliveries were created by PriestmanGoode Studio, as a part of the Wallpaper Re-Made project. The project is aims to encourage positive behavior change by creating packaging that is seen as reusable, desirable object, rather than disposable. The design proves how the simplest of things from our everyday life, can be created into something that helps to tackle the challenging environmental issues. “We wanted to re-think food delivery and takeaway in a bid to minimize the environmental impact of convenience culture”, says Jo Rowan, Associate Director of Strategy at PriestmanGoode.
Packaging has long been a big issue, contribution, often more than the product itself to the deterioration of our environment. Online food deliveries and take-away is a market worth over $53 billion a year globally, according to the figures released in 2019, before the global Covid-19 pandemic that has further increased the demands for takeaways. With more online delivery platforms emerging, initiatives and ideas that tackle the environmental issues caused by Packaging materials, are necessary. PriestmanGoode’s new concept promotes positive behavior in customers, rewarding for return of reusable, and working with sustainable alternatives to plastics as well as clingfilm wherever possible. Universal packaging – bento box style containers instantly halve the amount of packaging required, by removing lids. The packaging is designed to be transferable between restaurants. Their concept also helps in improving temperature control, delivery quality and efficiency.
PriestmanGoode conducted extensive research into food safe materials that could replace the ubiquitous plastic containers that are currently in use, and explored options to replace single use plastics. Materials had to meet a range of criteria from heat proof, lightweight or recyclable to insulating. Maria Kafel-Bentkowska, Head of CMF, explains, “We looked at a broad spectrum of materials, from those that are at an early stage of development, to commercially available materials made from byproducts, and low impact materials derived from nature, that will either be biodegradable or can be reused.”
The concept lets users pay a small fee for the packaging upon ordering the food , which would be reimbursed on their next delivery, when the containers are returned to the delivery service provider. The container would then be washed by the next restaurant food provider before being used again. This could be the perfect solution to preventing all the packaging wastage.
Find out more about the products on their website.
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