Hasbro talks of getting rid of plastic packaging

[Leave a Whisper]

Hasbro to Phase Out Plastic from New Toy and Game Packaging | Hasbro

newsroom.hasbro.com

This is great news for the environment.


I am afraid that toy swappers will use it to their advantage though.

 

[Caseysealia]

What do you mean toy swappers? Also be cool to see what they end up doing. I hope Basic Fun will keep the packaging the same for the most part since I keep the boxes anyway

 

[Leave a Whisper]

What do you mean toy swappers? Also be cool to see what they end up doing. I hope Basic Fun will keep the packaging the same for the most part since I keep the boxes anyway

Some people buy toys, put something back in its place and return it for money. I've seen it happen once. Like, not in action, but a different toy was in the package.

 

[Caseysealia]

Some people buy toys, put something back in its place and return it for money. I've seen it happen once. Like, not in action, but a different toy was in the package.

That's not good. I hope Hasbro makes it decent but I honestly doubt it.

 

[ElpuntThing]

My number one question is how will they do the "viewing window" so that the customer can see what they're buying? Plastic is still the best option for that.

 

[Wind~Whistler]

Isn’t there an alternative to plastic? Such as biodegradable/recycled plastic...
They can go back to backcards, I mean, look at recent pony packaging, tons of waste.

 

[GhouLunatic]

My number one question is how will they do the "viewing window" so that the customer can see what they're buying? Plastic is still the best option for that.

Glass, maybe?

It could even be recyclable! Wait. What do you mean that's a hazard for the target demographic?

 

[ElpuntThing]

Isn’t there an alternative to plastic? Such as biodegradable/recycled plastic...
They can go back to backcards, I mean, look at recent pony packaging, tons of waste.

The problem with biodegradable plastic is its short shelf life, which isn't ideal in toys. As for recycled, idk much about it but I understand the recycling process still isn't great for the environment, and when you toss a whole bunch of different plastics together as current recycling procedures do, you're not gonna get transparent polyethylene at the end of it.

But yeah, in 2015 they made real progress on using less plastics in packaging! (eg bagged singles and hairbow singles) I don't know why they went backwards!

Unless of course it's an excuse for cheapness... If you don't put a window, you can have whatever you want on the box and no one gets to check what's inside...

 

[LightningSilver-Mana]

.....so everything would become a giant blind box?

Not good Hasbro, not good....

Not to mention I NEED that transparent plastic for my customs

 

[Skybreeze]

So, upon reading this article and reading information on the Hasbro website, it looks as though they will be concentrating more on using reusable plastics and security (like the paper ties we’ve seen in more recent releases like the School of Friendship).

They’ve also implemented a toy recycling program where the toys will be repurposed as children’s playground equipment. (While this makes me sad for ponies not making it to thrift stores as frequently, I love this idea.)

I applaud Hasbro for making changes and doing their part in our environmental issues that effect us all and is so very close to being a global crisis. I’ve made a lot of changes in my every day life to stop using single use plastics and to create as little waste as possible.

Here’s a little snippet of what Hasbro is doing with their recycling programs:

 

[ElpuntThing]

@Skybreeze I agree that corporate-level environmental awareness is critical, but the focus on single-use plastics is completely overblown and often ableist (source). Plastic use, disposal, recycling, etc do little to further atmospheric pollution which is our primary concern within the next decade.

Single-use plastics are not the cause of plastic pollution in our oceans. Well over 75% of ocean debris is abandoned fishing gear (source).

Additionally, toy packaging is not single-use. There is no need for sterility so it can be reused with no recycling necessary. Many people seem to forget that reduce and reuse are the first two steps in this sort of thing. A flat viewing window, like on the BF repros can be stuck back on a different box if the effort is made to keep this packaging separate from other plastics.

Apologies if I come off as aggressive, but the misinformation surrounding plastic pollution impacts me directly and it's rather frustrating. ^_^;

 

[LightningSilver-Mana]

@Skybreeze

Additionally, toy packaging is NOT single use. [...] Many people seem to forget that reduce and reuse are the first two steps

I've been reusing BOTH the ponies AND toy packaging plastic for my customs

Hope this doesn't mean even less ponies will be showing up at goodwill and thrift stores if they want them donated to playground equipment

 

[Winged Mirage]

Something about this seems...strange. Almost as if it’s designed specifically to spite collectors. Why are you holding onto those old toys once your kid is done playing with them? Give those back!

Realistically so many ponies would need to be donated to make even a single piece of playground equipment. I think this is just environmental lip service at best, and possibly an excuse to do all blind boxes and/or trying to keep ponies rarer at worst.

 

[Leave a Whisper]

Hasbro/Amazon Frustration Free Packaging

It seems relevant to the discussion.

 

[Leave a Whisper]

Something about this seems...strange. Almost as if it’s designed specifically to spite collectors. Why are you holding onto those old toys once your kid is done playing with them? Give those back!

Realistically so many ponies would need to be donated to make even a single piece of playground equipment. I think this is just environmental lip service at best, and possibly an excuse to do all blind boxes and/or trying to keep ponies rarer at worst.

They're not trying to spite collectors. They probably mean broken messed up toys that they'll reuse.

 

[Wind~Whistler]

Hasbro/Amazon Frustration Free Packaging

It seems relevant to the discussion.

While the whole “blind box” thing would be frustrating for others, this video actually illustrates a point with shipping; the only box used would be the one the item ships in. Still not sure how their reduced packaging would do in retail. For example, the mini Celestia castle was at Walgreens the other day and I completely walked past it the first time because it didn’t have a window.

 

[Leave a Whisper]

While the whole “blind box” thing would be frustrating for others, this video actually illustrates a point with shipping; the only box used would be the one the item ships in. Still not sure how their reduced packaging would do in retail. For example, the mini Celestia castle was at Walgreens the other day and I completely walked past it the first time because it didn’t have a window.

I'm not sure what they'll be doing for retail? This seems to be with amazon, and presumably hasbro pulse so far.

 

[drusilla]

im so thrilled a huge corporation is going to do this...curious on what it would look like in the future... i do know there are a bunch of alternatives to plastic like seaweed "plastic"... plant based lastic"... theres even some now that dissolve in water... or just some kind of paper / cardboard.... with the climate and trash crises we are in we need huge corporations to do this...

 

[evilbunnyfoofoo]

I know people who collect MIB are cringing, but since I often rip open my toys in the parking lot of the store right after I buy them, I am the person they have in mind with this move!

 

[ElpuntThing]

I have to agree about the lip service. Plastic reduction is a "hot topic" that loads of companies have jumped on because it makes them look good, while they do nothing to reduce the parts of their business that hurt the environment in more significant ways (emissions etc).

I don't think it's being done to spite collectors, just as a PR move. But it probably will hurt collectors in the long run anyway.

And I don't trust Hasbro not to take advantage of the "blind box effect" to sell worse-quality toys. I may not collect MIB but I do collect G4, and you can literally line my ponies up by their age and see the quality decline