Sustainable Packaging for Meal Kits: What Actually Works in The UK
When you’re building a food brand, packaging is one of the hardest decisions to get right.
You want it to look good.
You need it to travel well.
And you want to make the most responsible choice possible.
At Glamp Gourmet, I’ve spent a lot of time researching this—particularly in the context of UK recycling systems and staycation meal kits—and I wanted to share openly how I’ve approached it.
What is the most sustainable packaging for meal kits in the UK?
There isn’t a single perfect answer.
The most sustainable option isn’t always the one that sounds best—it’s the one that can be realistically processed within existing UK waste systems.
It’s not just about what a material is—it’s about what actually happens to it after you’ve used it.
What packaging do we use at Glamp Gourmet?
Across the majority of our boxes, we use:
- Recycled cardboard outer packaging
- Recycled cardboard insulation
These materials are widely recyclable within UK council collections and are easy for customers to manage after use.
But when it comes to fresh ingredients, the decision becomes more complex.
Why can’t all meal kit packaging be cardboard?
Fresh ingredients—like herbs, salad leaves and vegetables—need to be:
- Food-safe
- Leak-proof
- Hygienic
- Protected during delivery
Standard cardboard doesn’t provide this level of protection, which is why many food containers use coated cardboard.
Is coated cardboard recyclable in the UK?
Not always.
Coated cardboard often contains a thin plastic lining (such as PE) bonded to the fibre. Because these materials are difficult to separate, they are not always widely recyclable in UK kerbside collections.
This means that packaging which looks more sustainable isn’t always straightforward to dispose of in reality.
Is compostable packaging better than plastic?
In theory, compostable packaging sounds like a great solution.
In practice, it’s more complicated.
Most compostable plastics:
- Cannot go in standard recycling
- Are not accepted in many UK food waste collections
- Require specialist industrial composting facilities
Most households do not have access to the facilities needed to process compostable packaging properly.
What happens if compostable plastic goes in general waste?
If compostable plastic ends up in general waste, it is usually:
- Incinerated (energy from waste), or
- Sent to landfill
In these conditions, it does not break down as intended.
Compostable materials only work when they reach the right facilities—and that’s difficult for most consumers to guarantee.
Why we’ve chosen recycled plastic for some packaging
For fresh ingredients, we use containers made from recycled plastic (rPET).
These are:
- Food-safe
- Leak-proof
- Durable in transit
- Widely collected and recycled through UK council recycling schemes
This means they can be managed within systems that already exist, without requiring specialist disposal routes.
Are flexible plastics becoming recyclable in the UK?
Recycling infrastructure is evolving.
In England, flexible plastics (such as film and bags) are due to be collected more widely from households from 2027.
However:
- This system is not fully in place yet
- Access and implementation will take time
We make packaging decisions based on what works today—not just what’s planned for the future.
Do you consider packaging when sourcing products?
Yes—this is an important part of our approach.
We think about packaging not just in isolation, but across the whole box, including the products we source from other brands.
The aim is to ensure everything works together as part of a coherent, practical system.
Our approach to sustainable packaging
We don’t claim to have a perfect solution.
Instead, we focus on:
- Materials that are widely recyclable in the UK
- Packaging that is easy to manage in real life
- Being transparent about trade-offs
- Continuously reviewing as infrastructure improves
Sustainability only works if people can realistically act on it.
In simple terms
The goal isn’t to choose what sounds best.
It’s to choose what works—
for the product,
for the customer,
and for the systems we have today.
