Takeaway deliveries rise continues despite easing restrictions.

Courier deliveries for takeaway foods, and other online purchases, jumped by 347% from 2019 to 2020 according to new figures from Quotezone.co.uk, a courier insurance comparison platform.

This year then witnessed a further 49% increase up to the end of August, they found, 91% of which is owing to fast food and takeaway deliveries with the top three services noted as being Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat, in that order, they discovered. Demand for courier insurance shot up 85% from 2019 to 2020 as the pandemic took hold, and as lockdown restrictions started to ease in 2021, the surge continued with a further 50% increase from January to August 2021 compared to the same time period in 2020, they have reported.

The data, sampled from the UK courier insurance company’s comparison websites, Quotezone.co.uk, noted courier insurance demand across sectors also experienced a seasonal spike this time last year, from October to December 2020, increasing 140% in those three months leading up to the Christmas holidays.

Quarterzone’s founder Greg Wilson commented: “With furlough ending, demand for courier insurance has the potential to surge once again, as people look for new jobs that are in high demand and don’t necessarily require any additional training. Courier jobs also allow for flexibility so those on reduced hours may find it workable to pick up evening deliveries and weekend work – when fast food deliveries are at their peak.

“I would urge anyone who is new to couriering to make sure their policy covers them for ‘hire and reward’ or check with their employers to see if they provide this type of courier insurance for their drivers – with fast food delivery drivers in particular there could be a tendency to assume because they are using their own car for the odd shift that their car insurance will cover them, when in actual fact, it’s illegal to drive without the appropriate insurance, and operating as a courier with only a standard car insurance policy is actually classed as driving without insurance for those journeys.

“Given the incredible demand we witnessed last year across the festive period, it’s likely we’ll also see a similar pattern this year as many covid restrictions still remain in place and empty shop shelves force customers online once again. I would urge anyone who is new to couriering to make sure their policy covers them for ‘hire and reward’ or check with their employers to see if they provide this type of courier insurance for their drivers.”

Courier insurance is suitable for drivers making lots of dropoffs every day within a local area and offers additional protection compared to standard policies, most notably giving cover for the goods themselves when the policy includes ‘goods in transit’ cover. Quotezone.co.uk says that it helps around three million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different products including courier insurance, van insurance and car insurance.

New delivery box to debut at Anuga

The Dometic DeliBox is a unique temperature-controlled thermal box for food delivery that preserves quality and ensures food safety, say its creators, Dometic - a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living covering food and beverage, climate, power and control and other applications – and, for the first time, visitors to Anuga, Cologne, Germany, this month will be able to get a flavour of its capabilities.

The DeliBox’s active heating guarantees ideal food temperature via active warming to ensure the correct temperature of all food transported and food safety. Dual temperature zones means that transport is available to both hot and ambient dishes at the same time.

DeliBox is also equipped with cold plasma surface disinfection technology that reduce bacteria build-up and smell, and a food graded interior guarantees that the inner compartment is approved and safe for food use. The box can be mounted on most mopeds, scooters, and motorised vehicles (outer dimensions: W500 x H560 x D611,5 mm, inner dimensions: 422,4 x 482,5 x 425 mm, volume: 86,63l, weight: 18 kg).

The Dometic DeliBox Dual is a dual compartment system with separate active heating and cooling areas. Its connectivity feature keeps track of every delivery and monitors the temperature during transport. It features dual temperature zones for transport of both hot and cold dishes at the same time and is also equipped with cold plasma surface disinfection technology to reduce bacteria build-up and smell, its food graded interior guaranteeing that the inner compartment is approved and safe for food use. It can be mounted on most mopeds, scooters, and motorised vehicles (outer dimensions: W500 x H560 x D688,5mm, inner dimensions: 422,4 x 482,5 x 425 mm, volume: 86,63l, weight: 23 kg).