While their commitment to sustainability was commended, the transition would introduce a few headaches for fans. Zero plastic meant removing the window film, meaning there was no way to look at the figure before buying. Instead, being presented with merely an image of the toy printed on the box. This seemed to turn off some mint on the card collectors while also raising concerns regarding unsatisfactory paint apps. There were also reports of dishonest customers swapping out the figures, replacing some of the more sought-after collectibles with less desirable releases.
In a rather unexpected update, just as some fans have been getting comfortable with plastic-free packaging, Hasbro has announced that they’ll be bringing back windows and blister packs to their 6-inch scale figures, but this time will be using bio PET or recycled PET plastics.
An official statement from Hasbro reads:
“We wanted to share an update on packaging for Hasbro’s 6-inch-scale figures. Based on your feedback, we will be re-introducing windows and blisters to our 6-inch fan figures beginning later this year, into 2024 for select products across our portfolio of brands, including, G.I. Joe Classified, Power Rangers Lightning Collection, Star Wars Black Series and Marvel Legends. This will eventually expand to all new 6-inch figure releases.
The new windows and blisters will be made from bio PET or recycled PET helping us 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.
Thank you again for being one of our biggest fans and for your continued support of Hasbro.“
One franchise that managed not to feel the brunt of the plastic-free jump was Ghostbusters, as their last run of Hasbro-made action figures came in the fall of 2021 in tandem with the marketing hype surrounding the theatrical release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Well, there was their inclusion in the Selfie Series and a MEGO four-pack, but aside from that, it’s pretty baron for Ghostbusters toys.
