The food delivery and takeaway industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by changing consumer habits, technological advancements, and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With industry revenue forecast to reach £35.21 billion in the UK in 2024, and further growth anticipated, the sector faces heightened pressure to meet rising demand while maintaining speed, order accuracy, and sustainability. As businesses scale to accommodate this projection, the tools and technologies they deploy become critical to overcoming operational challenges, supporting with ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and safeguarding brand reputation.
Mobile receipt and label printing technology, along with linerless labelling, have emerged as important solutions in addressing these challenges. These solutions help to streamline order fulfilment processes but also play a vital role in helping businesses to meet regulatory requirements and enhancing the overall customer experience. In an industry where mistakes can lead to costly errors and dissatisfied customers, adopting the right processes and technological tools is important for staying competitive, as Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe, explains.
The Changing Landscape of Food Delivery
The recent surge in food delivery and takeaway services has resulted in significant changes to the industry. Consumers in the UK now eat 50% more takeaways than before the pandemic, pushing order volumes to unprecedented levels, particularly during peak times and during periods of poor weather. This rapid growth has magnified the importance of order accuracy, efficiency, and effective communication between restaurants and delivery drivers, such as those working with platforms like Deliveroo or Just Eat.
Traditional order management systems, often reliant on manual processes or outdated technology, struggle to keep up with these demands. Errors in order fulfillment, whether due to human mistakes or inefficient systems, can lead to dissatisfied customers, wasted resources, and damage to brand reputation. In an industry where margins for error are already thin, particularly during busy periods, the need for a more sophisticated solution is clear to bridge this gap.
Moreover, today's consumers expect more than just timely delivery. They demand transparency, real-time information, and a seamless, personalised experience. Meeting these expectations while managing the logistical challenges of food delivery operations requires innovative solutions that are able to enhance working processes, but which also align with modern consumer demands and regulatory requirements.
Mobile Printing and Linerless Labelling
In response to these challenges, mobile receipt and label printing technology, along with linerless labelling, have become valuable tools for food delivery and takeaway businesses. These technologies enable the real-time, on-demand printing of labels at the point of preparation, ensuring that each item is correctly tagged and orders are properly assembled. This on-site label production significantly reduces the risk of errors, which is crucial for maintaining order accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Labels produced with these printers can serve multiple functions, such as providing receipts that can communicate critical order information, which can be easily communicated to delivery drivers. This enhances coordination between restaurants and delivery services, allowing a Deliveroo rider, for example, to instantly verify order details directly from the label after collecting the food. This helps to minimise the risk of incorrect deliveries and ensures a smoother handover process from business to customer.
Another example sees linerless labels, in particular, offer a sustainable and versatile solution. Unlike traditional labels, which come with non-recyclable liners, linerless labels eliminate this waste, supporting businesses' sustainability initiatives. These labels are flexible, allowing them to be printed in various lengths to suit different packaging needs, reducing environmental impact while improving operational efficiency. Designed for strong adhesion, linerless labels remain securely attached throughout the delivery process, often securing the delivery bag itself, reducing the likelihood of orders being mislabelled or incorrectly delivered, and ensuring that its contents remain in one place too. Beyond their functional benefits, these labels also offer the opportunity for companies to display QR codes containing promotional messages or other marketing information directly on the packaging, adding value to the customer experience and supporting marketing efforts.
Navigating Compliance and Enhancing Customer Experience
In addition to improving logistics and sustainability, mobile printing and linerless labelling technologies play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with important regulations, such as Natasha's Law in the UK. This law mandates that all food pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) must clearly display allergen information on its packaging. With mobile printing, businesses can quickly and accurately print allergen details on every order, ensuring customers are fully informed and protected, helping to meet regulatory requirements and enhancing trust.
The integration of these technologies with existing point-of-sale (POS) and order management systems allows businesses to operate seamlessly without significant infrastructure changes too. This flexibility is essential as businesses scale operations to meet growing demand while maintaining high levels of service. The ability to adapt quickly to changing consumer expectations and regulatory requirements provides an edge in what is already a fast moving and competitive market.
Moreover, these technologies enable businesses to provide a more personalised, customer-centric service. By allowing for the rapid production of customised labels, businesses can ensure that every detail of an order is clearly communicated too, whether it's a special dietary request, a QR code for order tracking, or personalised branding. This level of customisation enhances the overall customer experience, contributing to higher satisfaction and encouraging repeat business that restaurants and food businesses thrive on.
Conclusion
As the food delivery and takeaway industry continues to evolve, businesses must change to address the complex challenges posed by increased demand and shifting consumer expectations. Mobile receipt and label printing technology, especially linerless labelling, offers practical, forward-thinking solutions that address these industry challenges effectively. By improving order accuracy, enhancing delivery logistics, supporting sustainability, and ensuring compliance with critical regulations like Natasha's Law, these technologies provide a modern answer to the industry’s need for speed, precision and customer satisfaction, positioning restaurants and delivery services for success.
For businesses committed to staying competitive in this industry, embracing these innovations is a strong step in the right direction. By doing so, they can not only meet the current demands of the market, but also position themselves for long-term growth in an increasingly competitive and sustainability-conscious industry. As consumer expectations continue to rise, the adoption of mobile printing and linerless labelling technologies offers a strong solution to delivering the seamless, transparent, and personalised experiences that today’s customers demand.