Are Gousto's liners really recyclable?

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.

How Has the Gousto Liner Evolved?

Version	Thermal Performance	Recyclability	Outcome
Foil laminate (2023)	✅	❌	Failed sustainability gate
Early vacuum-metal LDPE (2024)	⚠	✅	Needed performance tweaks
Silver liner (2025)	✅	✅	Rolled out UK-wide

Through several iterations, the aluminium thickness was carefully reduced and the bubble-wrap fill optimised until lab tests confirmed both insulation and recyclability goals.

So what is vacuum-metalising?

Vacuum-metalising is a high-tech process used to apply an ultra-thin layer of aluminium onto the surface of the LDPE film, giving it its reflective silver finish and improved thermal insulation. This coating is thousands of times thinner than a human hair and is applied without the use of solvents or harmful chemicals.

The process involves:

• Removing air from a vacuum chamber to lower the boiling point of the aluminium.
• Heating a thin aluminium wire until it vaporises at around 1,500 °C.
• Allowing the aluminium vapour to evenly condense onto the rotating LDPE film inside the vacuum chamber.

This method creates a uniform, mirror-like coating that maintains the film’s recyclability while providing excellent thermal performance.

Recycling Gousto Liners Today

The good news: Gousto’s liners are already recyclable through existing soft plastic recycling schemes. Here’s how you can recycle them now:

1. Empty and flatten the liner after use.
2. Drop it off at soft plastic recycling bins found in major UK supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose.
3. Keep the liner dry and free of food residue to avoid contamination.

Nearly 3,000 such front-of-store collection points exist across the UK, diverting packaging from landfill and incineration while recycling infrastructure grows.

However, curbside collections are still limited in many areas. That’s why government plans require all English councils to include plastic film in household collections by 31 March 2027, ensuring convenient recycling for all.

The Environmental Benefits and Challenges

Pros:

• Keeps food below 5 °C for 24 hours in 30 °C ambient conditions, matching foil insulation performance.
• Classified as mono-material LDPE, accepted at front-of-store soft plastic bins.
• Approximately 15% lower cradle-to-gate CO₂ emissions compared to traditional foil pouches (Swiftpak lab data).
• Lighter weight reduces shipping emissions.
  

Challenges:

• 70% of collected soft plastics still end up in energy-from-waste while UK recycling capacity expands.
• Consumers must actively return the liners to recycling points until kerbside collection becomes universal.

Policy outlook: film kerbside collection by 2027 (or sooner)

DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling policy requires all English councils to include flexible plastic film—including vacuum-metalised packaging like Gousto’s liners—in kerbside recycling by 31 March 2027. This will expand plastic packaging recycling, reduce landfill waste, and support a circular economy. Industry pilots show the infrastructure could be ready earlier, which would reduce the tens of thousands of tonnes of flexible plastic currently diverted to energy-from-waste each year.

Beyond meal kits: where else can vacuum-metal LDPE help?

• Online butchers and seafood suppliers looking for thinner, lighter insulation.
• Pharmaceutical samples requiring precise 2–8 °C cold chain temperature control without bulky polystyrene.
• Luxury confectionery needing protection against summer melting.
• Pet food packs replacing less sustainable wool or starch liners.

FAQ

Will the aluminium contaminate recycled plastic?
Tests show the nano-scale aluminium disperses harmlessly; the main impact is a slight grey tint in recycled pellets, which is acceptable for many applications.

What if my council already collects film?
Use your kerbside collection where available, otherwise continue to use supermarket drop-off bins.

Are compostable liners a more sustainable option?
Only if they reach industrial composters, which fewer than 30% of UK boroughs currently accept. They are not part of the government’s core materials list for 2027 household collections.

Take-aways

Gousto’s silver liner proves that high performance, cost efficiency, and future curbside recyclability can coexist. Vacuum-metalised LDPE is already keeping meal kits fresh and cool, and with expanding nationwide film collections, it’s poised to close the recycling loop.

Curious about swapping out bulky foil or wool packaging? Contact our experts to book a sample trial.