How to cancel your HelloFresh subscription
HelloFresh is one of the largest and most popular meal kit delivery services both globally and in the UK, with roughly 7 million active users in 20231.
Of course, if you’re looking to cancel your HelloFresh subscription, you’ll already know that they aim to deliver customised meal kits straight to your door.
Whether you want to cancel your HelloFresh subscription because of budget constraints, changes in your diet, dissatisfaction with the meals, or simply wanting to go back to cooking your own meals from scratch, we’ll be covering exactly what you need to do.
While cancelling your HelloFresh subscription is relatively straightforward and can be done via their website and mobile apps, you need to know a few key things to avoid hassle or extra payments.
Here’s exactly how to cancel your HelloFresh subscription.
Why you might want to cancel HelloFresh subscription
There are many reasons you may want to begin a HelloFresh cancellation - here are some of the most common:
While HelloFresh tries to keep prices low, compared to regular grocery shopping, it is much more expensive. If things get tight paying off credit cards, you decide seeing money leave your bank account towards HelloFresh simply isn’t worth it - especially if you’re trying to reduce overall food spending.
Food is a matter of taste. You may try out HelloFresh and decide that you prefer your own cooking, or even become dissatisfied with HelloFresh’s quality or portion sizes of the meals.
HelloFresh isn’t the only meal-kit service in the UK — there’s plenty of competition, and you may decide to try or even completely switch to another service.
Despite HelloFresh’s wide selection of meals, if your dietary needs or preferences change, you may find your favourite meals no longer fit your taste or needs. If you are adopting a new diet or develop food allergies or intolerances, HelloFresh's meal options may no longer be what you need.
No matter the reason, here’s what you need to know about how to cancel your HelloFresh subscription.
How do I cancel my HelloFresh subscription?
There are two ways to stop paying for or receiving your HelloFresh orders.
You can either pause your subscription or permanently cancel it altogether.
If you want to cancel it altogether, here are the main ways to do so: on Android, iPhone, and via their website.
How to cancel HelloFresh on the iPhone app
If you're an iPhone user, cancelling your HelloFresh subscription through the app is straightforward. Follow these steps:
- Open the HelloFresh app on your iPhone, and make sure you have signed in
- Select "Account Settings" from the app’s menu options.
- Depending on your app version, navigate to the "Plan Settings" or “Subscription Details” section.
- You should then see an option to either “Manage Subscription” or “Cancel Plan".
- Scroll down and select "Cancel my Plan".
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your cancellation.
- Check your app and your emails for a confirmation of your cancellation.
How to cancel HelloFresh on your Android app
For Android users, the process is similar:
- Open the HelloFresh app on your Android device, and make sure you have signed in
- Select "Account Settings" from the app’s menu options.
- Depending on your app's version, navigate to the "Plan Settings" or “Subscription Details” section.
- You should then see an option to either “Manage Subscription” or “Cancel Plan" for all of your subscriptions.
- Scroll down and select "Cancel my Plan."
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your cancellation.
- Check your app and your emails for a confirmation of your cancellation.
How to cancel HelloFresh via their website
If you prefer to cancel your HelloFresh subscription through their website, here are the steps:
- Visit the HelloFresh website and log into your account.
- Click on the "Account Settings" tab at the top right of the page.
- Scroll down to the “Status” section.
- Click “Cancel Plan” and then “Cancel Anyway” after the first prompt to pause instead of cancel.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your cancellation.
- Don’t forget to check your emails and account for confirmation.
Things to consider before cancelling
Because of the time it takes to create and deliver your orders, you must cancel any incoming meals at least five days before they are due to arrive.
You can still cancel your subscription, but if an order is due to arrive in less than five days, you will still be charged for that specific order.
In addition, you could consider simply pausing instead of cancelling. HelloFresh prompts you to do this when you try to cancel, and it could be a good idea if you only want a small break and may wish to return later.
How do I pause my HelloFresh subscription?
If you would rather take a temporary break from HelloFresh rather than a complete cancellation, you can easily get HelloFresh to pause your subscription.
To get this option, follow the same processes shown above to cancel, but simply select the pause option when it is shown/prompted. HelloFresh allows you to pause your orders for up to four weeks - after that you must either pause again, cancel completely, or begin retaking orders.
This option can be helpful if you plan to return soon, but be careful to avoid being caught out by the four-week policy. If you do decide to pause, remember to check in on the app well before your pause “runs” out to avoid getting charged for meals you don’t want.
Common issues with cancelling HelloFresh and how to solve them
While the cancellation process is generally straightforward, some users may encounter issues. Here are a few common problems and their solutions:
HelloFresh’s five-day policy
The biggest issue you may encounter when cancelling your HelloFresh subscription is HelloFresh’s five-day policy.
While cancellation is free and can be done anytime, it's important to know that HelloFresh will still charge you for any orders set to arrive within the next five days.
To avoid being charged for meals you don't want, make sure to either cancel more than five days before your next scheduled delivery or pause/cancel your specific order five or more days before you plan to cancel your subscription.
Contact the HelloFresh customer service
If you are having trouble cancelling your subscription - whether that means you haven’t received confirmation or find that you are still being charged - you should contact HelloFresh directly.2
This can be done in several different ways.
If you have the app, HelloFresh will direct you to contact them via their in-app help chatbox. You can, however, also email them at hello@hellofresh.com, or call them at the HelloFresh customer service number +1 (646) 846-3663 if you prefer.
Handling refund and billing issues
In some cases, users may encounter billing or HelloFresh refund issues after cancelling their HelloFresh subscription.
If you find you have been incorrectly charged, contact their customer service as soon as possible. Make sure to have all the necessary details about your cancellation and billing history on hand so that the customer service reps can help you as quickly as possible.
There is no overall HelloFresh refund policy, and you’ll need to contact them directly to determine if your specific case warrants a refund.
Alternatives to HelloFresh
Whatever the reason you’ve cancelled your HelloFresh subscription, if you are still interested in meal kit services there are plenty of excellent alternatives across the UK.
Here are just a few alternatives to HelloFresh:
A slightly pricer option, Mindful Chef is perfect for those looking for more nutritious meals and UK-grown food.
A great UK alternative to HelloFresh, Gousto is a little cheaper but generally considered just as high-quality. It does focus more on Asian dishes and less on traditional British dishes, which may not be to everyone’s taste.
Riverford is one of the few UK meal box services that delivers entirely organic food, making it an excellent option for those looking for healthier meals.
Conclusion
Cancelling your HelloFresh order is simple as long as you know of HelloFresh’s five-day policy and the ability to pause.
If you encounter challenges or issues along the way, your first port of call should be to contact customer service via the in-app chatbox, email, or phone.
Remember, cancelling your HelloFresh subscription doesn't have to be permanent. You can always reactivate your account in the future or explore other meal kit services that better align with your needs and preferences.
In the meantime, there are plenty of alternatives in the UK for you to try, allowing you to find out which meal prep company is perfect for your taste.
Sources: all third party information obtained from applicable website as of June 6, 2024
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/947620/meal-kit-companies-number-subscribers-worldwide/
- https://www.hellofresh.co.uk/about/contact-us
- https://www.mindfulchef.com/
- https://www.gousto.co.uk/
- https://www.riverford.co.uk/
This article is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to address every aspect of the matters discussed herein. The information in this article is not intended as specific personal advice. The information in this article does not constitute legal, tax, regulatory or other professional advice from IDT Payment Services, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “IDT”), and should not be taken or used as such by any individual. IDT makes no representation, warranty or guaranty, whether express or implied, that the content in this article is current, accurate, or complete. You should obtain professional or other substantive advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the information in this article.