Hasbro going green

[griffin]

In recent years Hasbro has announced various "green" initiatives and has been telling everyone how it wants to be a more responsible toy company to the environment (despite most of its product being made by oil-based plastics)... and their latest quest is to remove all plastic from their packaging by 2022 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2019/08/20/hasbro-to-phase-out-plastic-from-new-toy-and-game-packaging-starting-2020-394870) (starting next year).
This means, no more windows on boxes, no more plastic insert trays, and no more plastic bubbles on card-backs.
(it's worth noting that their previous green initiative of replacing the plastic twist-ties with paper ones only lasted about a year)

If this does indeed happen, our retail toys will most likely be a combination of toys that are open-packed (like the current 1-steps minus the plastic), or completely boxed (like the last few Titans that had all cardboard inside the box).
Obviously the main issue us serious collectors have with this is that we won't be able to check out the products in-store before we buy them, or even know that there is a toy in the box until we open it after purchasing it.
But considering the growth in online sales over in-store sales, most toys will be bought unseen anyway... and if you think about it, an online purchase will be safer than an in-store purchase when it comes to stolen or swapped-out toys. And as long as you are buying from an online store that has a replacement/refund policy for defective items, without costing you anything extra, then these sorts of toys may just be the future of online purchasing.

So don't be surprised if you start seeing new product images at some point in the next two years, being of packaging that has no windows to them.

[DELTAprime]

Doesn't look like Earthrise will have green packaging. https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-generations-war-for-cybertron-trilogy-earthrise-packaging-for-starscream-and-grapple/44065/

[SMHFConvoy]

Doesn't look like Earthrise will have green packaging. https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-generations-war-for-cybertron-trilogy-earthrise-packaging-for-starscream-and-grapple/44065/
It's probably scheduled for somewhere between 2020 - 2022, but the packaging lately is clearly labelled with what is and isn't recyclable, so just remember to separate the cardboard and plastic.

[philby]

I find opening Black Series and Marvel Legends to be a pain sometimes, especially if you are trying to keep it quiet ;) so this might be a good step hehe

[Sinnertwin]

So it's basically the Generations Select style exciting brown cardboard packaging & stickers at mass retail.

[SMHFConvoy]

So it's basically the Generations Select style exciting brown cardboard packaging & stickers at mass retail.

This response just killed my phone's sarcasm detection app :rolleyes:

[reillyd]

It might mean a completely plastic free product in the future. Think Generations Select outer box, and origami cardboard figure :p

[Paulbot]

I would not be surprised if in a few years time ALL Generations toys came in those Select style boxes because the only way to buy them will be online and store friendly packaging is not required.

[DELTAprime]

I would not be surprised if in a few years time ALL Generations toys came in those Select style boxes because the only way to buy them will be online and store friendly packaging is not required.

I'd prefer a Gen Select style box over the packaging the cheaper toys come in.

[Autocon]

When petrol runs out, all toys will need to be in green packaging. Oh... there wont be any toys coz they are made from plastic. :p

Can imgaine a world without toys?!

[UltraMarginal]

could be more along the lines of the Siege Sideswipe/slamdance set, the box is pretty abut it's all cardboard. great opportunity for lots of fantastic box art.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Whilst I would miss the windows at the front as I like to see the figure I am buying on those odd times I actually purchase in a bricks n mortar store, I think its a great idea.

We mega reuse and recycle on our farm, partly because there is no rubbish pickup where we are and have to take our trash to the tip ourselves. We produce zero kitchen waste for example because all the food either goes to the animals, in the compost or in the comfrey patch. And I've hoarded every milk bottle from the last 2 years in order to put liquid fertilizer in. As such I've felt guilty when I get a huge shipment of toys, and after opening a ton of them one of the bins is half full from plastic inserts. I'm perfectly happy for that to change.

[SMHFConvoy]

What if... What if Hasbro does go the plain packaging route but on each box is a QR code and scanning it with your phone opens up box art in an augmented reality app? It presents an opportunity to have some limited animation e.g. laser fire or a moving star field.

[UltraMarginal]

That tech certainly exists, but how many parents are going to follow through with that? apart from those of us on forums like this.

[SMHFConvoy]

But there is a sort of precedent for it, the RID 2015 mobile games, heck it could feature tech specs