Parent frustrated after noticing unnecessary addition to child's $80 toy set: 'I don't get this at all'

Kids love unwrapping packages. With unboxing videos all the rage, there's more appeal to it than ever before.

What's happening?

A Redditor took to the r/a******design subreddit to vent about the amount of plastic packaging that came with their child's dolls.

"The amount of 'disposable' plastic that comes in a toy case with four dolls," they wrote. "Each piece of clothing or decoration came with its own plastic package, and the dolls were wrapped in five more layers of plastic."

The photo made clear how much plastic waste there was, and the actual dolls were barely discernible. 

"I don't get this at all," a user reacted. "There was nothing more frustrating to me as a kid than waiting for my mom to cut my new toy out of the packaging (which was a LOT less in the '70s). My own kids hated it as well in the '90s."

A commenter explained the appeal.

They wrote: "Looks like an LOL doll set. My daughter loves these things. She likes the unwrapping more than the dolls themselves."

Another user added that the whole idea plays into the popular unboxing trend, often done by influencers. As more kids get on YouTube and other social media, toy companies can capitalize by passing along those experiences via elaborately packaged gifts.

Why is excessive plastic toy packaging important?

As the OP's air quotes signified, the packaging was almost certainly unrecyclable, single-use plastic. When not properly disposed of, such trash ends up in oceans, where it harms marine life.

Even if it does reach a landfill, it can spend centuries breaking down while shedding microplastics and contributing to the production of methane, a potent heat-trapping gas. While the understanding of microplastics and their risks is still evolving, the tiny plastic particles have been linked to serious health issues.

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Plastic packaging is one of the biggest culprits in the plastic pollution crisis. In this instance, meeting a trend for kids doesn't justify adding so much single-use plastic to the world.

Is LOL Surprise! doing anything about this?

Whether it was because of complaints or other factors, the toy's creator, MGA Entertainment, overhauled its packaging in 2022.

In a news release, it revealed that the packaging of almost two-thirds of these LOL sets would be created using sustainable materials such as bamboo, wood, and sugar cane. MGA said that in 2022 alone the change would eliminate at least 3 metric tons of plastic.

The goal was to use 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastics in its toys and packaging by 2025. 

What's being done about the toy industry's plastic problem more broadly?

MGA Entertainment's moves coincided with other eco-friendly changes, including Mattel's PlayBack program. That initiative collects used toys and is free and available to households and child care facilities. 

There are grassroots efforts to facilitate the same process on smaller scales, and organizations such as Toycycle provide marketplaces for parents.

There are also a number of eco-friendly toy brands.

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