Baemin Introduces 'Basic Side Dish Selection' Feature

Ministry of Environment Signs Business Agreement with Civic Groups...Can Refuse Unwanted Basic Side Dishes

Hong Jeong-gi, Vice Minister of Environment (center), Kim Mi-hwa, Chairperson of the Resource Circulation Social Solidarity (right), and Kim Beom-jun, CEO of Woowa Brothers, are signing a business agreement on the 30th to reduce single-use items and food waste from food delivery.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] A feature that allows customers to decline basic side dishes when ordering delivery food is expected to appear on delivery apps as early as this year. Woowa Brothers, the operator of Baedal Minjok, announced on the 30th that it has signed a 'Business Agreement for Reducing Disposable Items and Food Waste in Food Delivery' with the Ministry of Environment and the Solidarity for Resource Circulation Society (Chairperson Kim Mi-hwa).

According to the agreement, Baemin will introduce a feature within the app that allows consumers to choose whether to receive basic side dishes. Basic side dishes such as kimchi and kkakdugi have traditionally been provided with delivery food but were often left uneaten. This has caused an increase not only in food waste but also in packaging waste. Baemin expects that adding the option to decline basic side dishes will have a significant effect in reducing disposable items and food waste.

The agreement also includes efforts to lighten disposable packaging and delivery containers, promote the widespread use of such measures, and carry out eco-friendly campaigns to improve the culture of disposable item usage. The Solidarity for Resource Circulation Society will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of these measures, as well as citizen education and publicity, while the Ministry of Environment will support policy promotion and provide administrative and institutional backing.

Before introducing the 'Decline Basic Side Dishes' feature, Baemin conducted a pilot campaign. In July, Baemin Academy held a three-week intensive eco-friendly education program called 'Green Class' for restaurant owners, and in September, it ran an event encouraging customers to decline uneaten basic side dishes, which attracted about 18,000 customer participants.

Kim Beom-jun, CEO of Woowa Brothers, said, "Through the introduction of this app feature, we expect a triple-win effect by reducing unnecessary disposable container use and food waste, protecting the environment, and ultimately helping restaurant management." He added, "Baedal Minjok will continue to consider and incorporate various practical measures for environmental protection into the app."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.