The year 2020 will certainly be remembered as the year of the pandemic and all the consequences that the health crisis has had on the global economy and on the lives of everyone.
It must be said, however, that as some sectors have gone into crisis, others have benefited or have tried a different path to adapt to the dictates of the Government, which wants the limitation of travel and contacts for the sake of health. This has been the case for example in the catering sector.
Due to Covid, restaurants, bars, pizzerias have been closed as a place of social agglomeration that promotes gatherings. But the world of food has striven to turn to delivery directly at home.
Bars, restaurants, fast food chains have worked promptly to adapt to the times of the Coronavirus and provide customers with the right meal for their home. And to make seamless food deliveries, they are looking forward to on-demand food delivery app development. Let’s find out in detail if the 2020 food delivery business is continuing into 2021.
Food Delivery Businesses
The food delivery has dominated the 2020 fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King that first welcomed young people and families at their tables and they had next to this service to the drive that is the possibility of withdrawing the chosen menu from one’s car, with the pandemic they have adapted through the Mc and Burger Delivery service.
The customer, through food delivery apps such as Just Eat, Foodora, Glovo, was able to easily order his favorite menu from home via his mobile phone. A business within the business, which has consequently made the success not only of the new delivery method for restaurants but also of the aforementioned food delivery apps.
Not only fast food but also bars, restaurants, pastry shops, ice cream parlors have turned towards food delivery through special food delivery startups or through their own initiative. Even Coca Cola has adapted by offering consumers a ready-made dish with the necessary to prepare it.
The Internet has certainly changed people’s habits and even institutions have adapted to online procedures. No more boring queues and long waits but just one click is enough to solve every problem. Even those that show up during a pandemic.
Food Delivery 2021 on the rise
The exponential growth of the food delivery business in 2021 is therefore taken for granted. Already in 2016 the estimates spoke of a turnover of 400 million euros. The range of specialties ready to be delivered at home is increasingly vast and involves fast food, ethnic cuisines, typical regional and traditional products and so on.
Even those on a diet or following restrictive diets such as those envisaged for gluten intolerance are not forgotten. If we were used to the coffee pod business, the present and the future today is food delivery.
Challenges Faced By Food Delivery Businesses
1. The problem of VAT follows. Although with the 2021 Budget Law, the sale of ready-to-eat and take-away meals was finally subjected to the 10% rate. There remains the problem of the sale of drinks and the rate for the transport service. Regardless of the way in which the core business is carried out, it is essential to guarantee the sanitary suitability of the containers and means used for transport.
2. There are no ad hoc rules. But the obligation to possess a HACCP certification that provides for the application of procedures and tools (eg isothermal container) to guarantee the hygienic conditions of the products to protect the consumer. It should also be noted that some local administrations require additional activities.
3. Even the riders (the well-known messengers of large platforms) who are operating in the food sector, must comply with hygiene rules. In addition to all those provided for in terms of road safety. And speaking of riders, there comes the most delicate problem that delivery companies have to face, that of framing gig workers (from gig economy or “job economy”).
4. The delivery giants (Zomato, Uber Eats, JustEat and Deliveroo) are well aware of this and have just received fines totaling 733 million euros for violating safety regulations. And to whom further minutes have been notified by the Public Prosecutor’s Office on the basis of which they will have to regularize the messengers as coordinated and continuous workers.
5. The methods of employment currently used by the platforms for these workers are in fact quite diversified. But they are practically all outside the perimeter of subordination as a case of self-employment. Coordinated and continuous collaborations, occasional self-employment collaborations and collaborations with VAT number.
6. The choice of classification has contributory consequences and insurance coverage against accidents and occupational diseases. But that’s not all… The delivery companies have also entered the eye of the Privacy Guarantor who has included them in his inspection plans. The platforms are indeed a mine of sensitive information. And it is therefore essential to adopt correct Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and adequate IT security.
The market is certainly competitive and crowded and it is necessary to be distinctive and recognizable by consumers while offering an effective and efficient on-demand food delivery solution.
It can be useful to identify a specific market niche and develop a sustainable model. In any case, food delivery is a business that is having and will certainly be successful also in 2021 given that the behaviors to fight, prevent and put an end to the pandemic are continuing so citizens are still asked to limit their personal movements.
