Many Gousto subscribers have just unboxed a meal kit lined with a gleaming silver pouch. At first glance, it looks like a foil-plastic laminate—the usual “can’t-recycle” culprit. But the reality is more promising: Gousto’s new sustainable packaging solution is made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film with just an ultra-thin coating of aluminium. This means it can follow today’s soft-plastic recycling routes and is already accepted in supermarket drop-off bins nationwide. So, are Gousto’s liners recyclable now? And what does this mean for sustainable packaging and recycling efforts?
Quick-glance verdict
Question | Short answer |
Can I recycle it right now? | Yes. Clean, flatten, and place in soft-plastic drop-off bins at UK supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose. |
What changes in the future? | All councils in England are required to add plastic film—including vacuum-metalised bags—to household collections by 31 March 2027. |
Why isn't the aluminium a problem? | The metal layer is only 50–100 nm thick (<0.1% by weight). Tests show it melts harmlessly with the plastic, dispersing without damaging recyclability. recyclass.eu |
Why have Gousto moved away from foil laminates
Gousto initially piloted “plastic-free” liners made from thick foil-plastic sandwiches. While excellent for insulation, these bags ended up in landfill since they couldn’t be recycled. The challenge was to find a packaging solution that could maintain the same 30 °C thermal barrier while creating a recyclable solution without increasing the cost per meal.
The breakthrough? Instead of a glued-on foil layer, engineers vacuum-metalised a microscopic layer of aluminium onto LDPE film. This “mist” of aluminium is just 50–100 nanometres thick (less than 0.1% by weight), which means the film behaves like a mono-material LDPE in recycling streams.
For more about Gousto’s ingredient bags and packaging evolution, see Gousto’s official help centre.