Fans at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Final ate out of biodegradable food packaging for the first time at a major football match in the UK.
UEFA teamed up with food delivery service Just Eat and packaging innovation brand Notpla to create cardboard packaging that was lined with seaweed to be water-resistant and greaseproof. The packaging itself was made from tree and grass pulp with no synthetic additives; and so was both recyclable and home-compostable. The Notpla team added that it will biodegrade within four to six weeks just like a piece of fruit. Just Eat has been trialling the packaging since 2021.
In a press release, the trip added that they had worked with Wembley Stadium's resource management partner, Veolia, to ensure that the packaging was separated after being thrown away and would then be treated at an Anaerobic Digestion plant to produce renewable electricity. “This digestion plant treats food waste and other organic matter to produce enough renewable electricity to power approximately 6,500 homes annually”, they explained.
Michele Uva, Director of Football & Social Responsibility at UEFA signalled that there is a lot more innovation to come. He said: “The circular economy is an important pillar of UEFA's Football Sustainability Strategy 2030. Building on best practices of Just Eat and other stakeholders, we are developing a practical guide to help us achieve zero plastic and food waste - within UEFA, across UEFA events and collaboratively across European football.”
