Most parents don't set out to instill brand loyalty in their children, but certain toys might make you think otherwise. One Reddit user pointed out some plushies they found holding popular brand-name snacks, which created a spirited debate.
The original poster shared the toys to the subreddit r/Anticonsumption. They were Zuru Snackles, which are stuffed animals paired with popular brands of food.
"Toys with built in brand loyalty is crazy to me. Spend $30 so your kid can stare at junk food ads," the OP said.
In the OP's photo, one stuffed animal is holding a can of Pringles. The other has a roll of Mentos.
Recently, concerned consumers have been pushing back against advertising in kids' media and toys. Many believe that it instills the habit of overconsumption early, encouraging young people to buy more things they don't need. In order to keep up with trends, they have to continually chase the next hot thing. This creates an unfulfilling experience for many buyers who quickly realize their shiny new toys are out of fashion.
One Fast Company report found that children are especially susceptible to ads, which leads to a tremendous amount of waste in landfills. The report also says that up to 80% of toys end up in dumps, and their waste creates heat-trapping air pollution. Overconsumption contributes to rising global temperatures and, subsequently, their effects.
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Thrifting is always a great option for giving toys a second life and saving them from landfills. Some shoppers have saved hundreds of dollars on high-end toys. For example, one parent bought an $800 kitchen set for $6.99 secondhand.
Commenters on the OP's post in r/Anticonsumption shared their distaste for heavily branded toys.
"Wow that's gross," one person said.
"That's why Saturday morning cartoons were invented. It was to sell toys. This is the obvious next step. Get the cartoons to sell toys. Get those toys to sell your other brands," another wrote.
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