Just Eat Takeaway.com is expanding its push towards sustainable food delivery packaging by introducing a new range of plastic-free takeaway boxes across ten European markets, using a plant-based coating designed to replace conventional plastic linings.
The food delivery giant confirmed that the packaging will be rolled out across Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Spain, following earlier launches with its German brand Lieferando in Germany and Austria.
The initiative is part of a partnership with sustainable packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki and UK materials technology company Xampla, whose Morro Coating technology provides a plastic-free alternative to the thin polymer layers traditionally used to make takeaway containers resistant to grease and moisture.
Unlike conventional takeaway boxes, which rely on plastic coatings to prevent leaks and maintain structural integrity, the new packaging uses a coating derived from natural plant proteins that has not undergone chemical modification. The coating provides the same barrier performance required for takeaway food packaging while remaining fully recyclable within standard paper recycling systems.
The rollout reflects growing pressure on the food delivery and hospitality sectors to reduce reliance on single-use plastics, particularly as regulations tighten across Europe under measures such as the EU’s Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).
According to the companies involved, the Morro-coated boxes have been verified as plastic-free by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, making them one of the first takeaway packaging solutions capable of delivering high-performance food protection without plastic barriers.
The packaging is made from sustainably sourced corrugated paperboard, designed to retain heat and maintain rigidity even when used with greasy or moisture-heavy dishes that traditionally require plastic-lined containers.
Industry experts say solving this challenge is key to reducing plastic waste across the food delivery sector, where millions of takeaway boxes are used daily and often end up in landfill because plastic coatings prevent recycling.
Alexandra French, chief executive of Xampla, said the European expansion demonstrates that natural materials are increasingly capable of replacing plastic in high-volume commercial applications.
“Europe is moving fast on packaging regulation, and the demand for materials that can genuinely replace plastic has never been stronger,” she said.
“There is strong environmental ambition across these markets and a willingness to adopt new materials when they work. For us, this rollout is about scale. We’ve proven Morro Coating works and now we’re bringing it to millions of takeaway meals across Europe.”
French added that large-scale adoption in sectors such as food delivery is critical if sustainable materials are to meaningfully replace plastic packaging.
“If we want to replace plastic, we need to do it in the most demanding environments, where packaging needs to perform under heat, grease and moisture. This expansion shows that natural materials can compete in exactly those conditions.”
Huhtamaki, which manufactures the packaging, said the technology integrates seamlessly with existing foodservice supply chains and recycling infrastructure, enabling restaurants to transition to more sustainable packaging without requiring changes to waste management processes.
Because the coating is free from plastic, the containers can be processed through established paper recycling streams without needing separation of materials, addressing one of the major barriers to recycling takeaway packaging.
The rollout also supports businesses navigating evolving environmental regulations, including extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules that are increasingly placing financial responsibility on companies for the environmental impact of their packaging.
For Just Eat Takeaway.com, the expansion is part of a broader sustainability strategy aimed at reducing plastic waste across the fast-growing food delivery industry.
A spokesperson for the company said the move would allow thousands of restaurant partners across Europe to adopt packaging that meets both environmental and regulatory expectations.
“We’re excited to work with innovative partners who share our vision of reducing single-use plastic waste and creating more responsible packaging solutions,” the company said.
“Expanding our collaboration with Xampla represents a significant milestone in accelerating the adoption of plastic-free packaging across the on-demand delivery industry.”
The announcement comes as food delivery platforms face increasing scrutiny over the environmental impact of takeaway packaging, which contributes significantly to urban waste streams across Europe.
By introducing recyclable, plant-based coatings capable of replacing plastic in food containers, the companies involved hope to demonstrate that large-scale alternatives to plastic packaging are both commercially viable and operationally practical.
With millions of takeaway orders processed across its European markets every week, Just Eat Takeaway.com’s adoption of plastic-free containers could represent one of the most significant real-world deployments of plant-based packaging technologies in the food delivery sector to date.
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Just Eat Takeaway.com rolls out plastic-free takeaway boxes across Europe
