‘Inspiring’ Sheffield Hallam University students win Deliveroo sustainability competition

Two Sheffield Hallam University students have won a design competition for new sustainable Deliveroo packaging.

William Shaw, 23, and Josephine Cooper, 21, who are studying packaging professional, were part of seven students tasked with creating innovative and eco-friendly food packaging.

According to Packaging News, their design adapted an existing packaging design by adding new elements like a new sealing system and lined carton board, keeping both extra costs and eco-impact minimal.

The winning duo won a £1,000 cash prize and will enter exclusive conversations with Biopak aiming to put their design into action with Deliveroo in the future.

William and Josephine said, commenting on their win: “The Deliveroo and Biopak packaging competition has been challenging and rewarding in equal measure, and we’re thrilled our design was chosen as the winning entry.

“We are looking forward to entering production discussions with BioPak, and hope that our design can make a positive impact on sustainability across the food industry.”

Two @sheffhallamuni students have won a competition to design sustainable food packaging for @Deliveroo

Read more here👇https://t.co/4pMG63PofB pic.twitter.com/lt2m1OYhWC

— Sheffield Hallam University News (@HallamUniNews) October 1, 2024

Teams participating in the competition were given four months to develop an idea, before the presentation at the university on 25th September.

Four entries in total were displayed at the competition, including a labelling system to give better information to customers and riders on how to handle deliveries.

Sam Walker at Biopak, the “market leaders in eco-friendly food packaging”, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with Deliveroo and Sheffield Hallam University on this exciting competition.

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“Seeing Sheffield Hallam’s students identify the same issues but tackle them from a fresh perspective has been incredibly inspiring.”

The team presented their sustainability prototype to judges from Biopak, Deliveroo and Sheffield Hallam University on the university’s campus with multiple Sheffield restaurants also present.

Jack Charlesworth, head of numbers at Slap and Pickle, one of the restaurants present at the event, said: “Packaging is so important when it comes to delivering dine-in quality food – from our triple patty burgers to our loaded fries.

“It was exciting to see the innovative ideas from students that put sustainability at the forefront, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for the winning design.”

Jen Bagshaw, head of packaging at Deliveroo, told Packaging News: “We’re always looking for new and innovative solutions to big challenges, and that’s why we’re so incredibly excited to partner with these talented students in Sheffield Hallam to support the next generation of packaging design that really puts sustainability at its heart.

“By celebrating creativity and giving them the initial backing to get off the ground, we’re looking forward to working with the winners to encourage a solution that’s sustainable and doesn’t come at a significant cost for businesses in the delivery sector.”

Feature image via Sheffield Hallam University on X

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