Plastic is Back on Hasbro Packaging

In 2019, Hasbro set a goal to drastically reduce plastic packaging on it's products by 2022. This came as part of its larger initiative to act more environmentally conscious (Pyzyk, 2023).

However, fans of the collectible toys note that the windowless packaging contributed to reduced sales because consumers can’t see what product is inside, only the printed image on the box, making the products less valuable to some collectors (Pyzyk, 2023).

The windowless packaging reportedly also resulted in an uptick of theft in which more valuable figurines are swapped out for less desirable ones and then the package is returned to a store for a refund (Pyzyk, 2023).

Hasbro started using plant-based plastic, as opposed to the typical petroleum-based, for certain packaging elements in 2018 (Pyzyk, 2023).

Hasbro decided to make the change based on fan feedback and to "achieve our priority of meeting our fans' expectations for extraordinary packaging and superior design while still developing packaging that minimizes waste and the use of virgin plastic" (Pyzyk, 2023).

Hasbro’s website says the company designs its packaging with circularity in mind and considers the package’s entire life cycle in addition to using at least 90% recycled or sustainably sourced paper in its packaging (Pyzyk, 2023).

One can appreciate that even though Hasbro had to take reactive action to certain issues within the commercial world, they still followed the goals that they had set years prior. A change in production, such as switching all of the packaging, is a process that takes a long time with many hurdles, so it's unfortunate when something doesn't work out. Fortunately, Hasbro was able to come up with a solution that made both business owners and collectors happy. This proves that using recycled material, or taking other steps toward becoming more environmentally conscious, does not necessarily need to get in the way of existing business practices and relations.

References

Pyzyk, K. (2023, April 12). Hasbro reintroduces plastic windows on toy packages, this time with plant-based content. Packaging Dive.
https://www.packagingdive.com/news/hasbro-toy-plastic-window/647406/

Sullivan, J. (2019). Toymaker Hasbro Misses Earning Expectations [Graphic]. In Getty Images.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/hasbro-toys-are-displayed-at-a-target-store-on-february-08-news-photo/1128321203?adppopup=true