At the request of children: The LEGO Group has announced that it will be packaging its products in recyclable paper instead of disposable plastic in future. The bags are to be used from 2021.
Rustling instead of crackling: People who buy Lego sets will soon no longer find plastic bags in them. In future, Lego bricks will be placed in recyclable paper. This measure is part of a programme with which the Danish toy manufacturer intends to invest around 400 million US dollars (approx. 336 million euros) in sustainability over the next three years. .
„We receive many letters from children asking us why we are still using single-use plastic in our boxes. This has inspired us to start making this change. This is part of our endeavour to make all our packaging sustainable by the end of 2025“
Tim Brooks, Vice President of Environmental Responsibility at LEGO
The company has already been working on the new paper bags for two years. Moving away from the existing packaging is no easy task and will take some time, as the new material needs to be durable, lightweight and improve the shopping experience. Several prototypes, made from a range of different sustainable materials, have so far been trialled with hundreds of parents and children. The children liked the paper bags best because they are environmentally friendly and easy to open. They are to be used in Lego boxes from 2021.
Lego bricks are still made of plastic
Despite all the endeavours towards greater sustainability, the actual toy, the well-known Lego bricks, are made of plastic. Finding alternatives is easier said than done. Sustainably produced Lego bricks must be just as safe, durable and technically flawless as the plastic version, with identical colour fastness and compatibility with older bricks, said Brooks.
