(Photo Credit: Hasbro)Hasbro announced plans to begin using plant-based bio-polyethylene terephthalate for blister packs and plastic windows in its product packaging beginning next year.
The company says it will use bioPET plastic made with 30% plant-based material derived from agricultural by-products. This decision is part of Hasbro’s push to make its packaging less reliant on non-renewable resources.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro was originally incorporated in 1926 and has become a multinational toy and entertainment company known for brands that include Monopoly, Mr. Potato Head, Nerf, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, Play-Doh, and Magic: The Gathering.
“In 2016, Hasbro’s packaging engineer team launched a set of sustainable packaging principles that define our sustainable packaging design parameters and help guide our marketing and design and development organizations throughout the development cycle,” notes the company’s latest CSR report, published last year.
Since 2007, Hasbro has worked to eliminate tissue paper in shipping cartons, moved to single-wall shipping cartons, eliminated wire ties, replaced PVC packaging with recyclable PET, achieved 75% recycled or sustainably-sourced paper for packaging, and achieved 90% recycled or sustainably sourced paper for packaging and in-box content.
When designing packaging, Hasbro says its team considers the circular economy and takes into account the package’s entire lifecycle. Two years ago, the company began using PET material containing 30% post-consumer recycled content across their whole game and toy portfolio. Hasbro also became a member of the How2Recycle program.
In addition, the company says it uses shrink bundling instead of corrugated shippers where possible, which helps reduce shipping volume and weight. Last fall Hasbro launched redesigned packaging for Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head toys that used 20% less paperboard than the previous version.
Plant-based plastic has been gaining traction over the past few years, led by global food and beverage corporations. Recently Lego announced plans to begin selling pieces made from sugarcane-derived plastic this year.
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