Unbox, enjoy, recycle

Most of the packaging we use in our recipe boxes is fully recyclable, or biodegradable. We are working hard to reduce the amount of packaging we use, find packaging that is easier to recycle locally, and source sustainable options. Use the guide below to learn more about the materials in our box, and the best ways to recycle them.

Box, box divider and paper bags

All our cardboard originates from FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council™) certified sustainable sources. This means it has been sustainably sourced with strict regulations to ensure it’s been managed in a socially, environmentally and economically sound way.

Simply flatten and recycle in your household recycling.

Woolcool

We use wool insulation liners due to their excellent insulation properties to keep food cold in transit and prevent food waste.

Wool is a natural, sustainable product, which is compostable and biodegradable. Our supplier Woolcool are a multi-environmental award winning company based in Staffordshire.

Tear open the plastic outer to remove the wool. The wool composts quickly, whether through home composting, or breaking down in general waste. The plastic bags are recyclable – either at a bag collection point at your local supermarket or in kerbside recycling where accepted.

Plastic Pots 

These are widely recyclable across the UK. Simply rinse them out and pop them in with the rest of your household recycling.

Tins

These are widely recyclable across the UK. Simply rinse them out and pop them in with the rest of your household recycling.

Recipe cards

Our recipe cards are printed by Seacourt, a multiple award-winning sustainable printing company. They are the world’s first printers to go beyond a carbon neutral impact on the environment. They not only offset their entire operational footprint – they actually add an extra 10% back through supporting forest conservation and regeneration projects. They use 100% renewable energy, use FSC certified paper, have zero waste to landfill and their printing uses no water or harmful chemicals.

If you’d like to keep your recipe cards, we’ll send you a free folder to keep them in with your 3rd box.  If you’d rather recycle them simply pop into your household recycling.

Ice Packs

Our ice packs can be reused – just pop in the freezer to refreeze. If you want to dispose of them, they contain nothing but 100% water, unlike other ice packs that may contain gels.

Once defrosted carefully pierce or snip to empty water down the sink. Recycle the empty plastic bag at local supermarkets that have plastic bag collection points, or in your local kerbside recycling where accepted.

Plastic bags and film

We will soon update our plastic packaging to contain on-pack recycling guidance.

Most of the plastic packaging we use (such as those used to package pasta and noodles) are made of simple plastic, making them suitable for recycling.

Small liquid or paste sachets are not yet recyclable in the UK as they have more complex layers of different plastics to hold liquids and prevent leakage. A standard recycling process hasn’t been developed for them yet – but we’re working hard to find alternatives.

Finding sustainable packaging solutions that can fully replace plastics, and work with all the different UK recycling schemes, will take some time but we’re absolutely committed to making those changes. We’ve already identified some new packaging alternatives that you will see in your Gousto boxes in the coming months. Stay tuned!