The LEGO Group is advancing its commitment to sustainability with the introduction of paper-based packaging across its products. As part of its goal to make all packaging more sustainable by 2025, the company has begun replacing single-use plastic pre-pack bags in LEGO boxes with paper bags made from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®C117818) certified forests and FSC-controlled wood.
This significant transition is already underway in LEGO factories across Europe and Asia, with the Americas set to follow in 2024. The new paper bags, which are 95% paper with a thin plastic coating to ensure durability, have been verified as recyclable in the European Union, United States, and Canada.
A Major Milestone in Sustainable Packaging
The move to paper-based bags marks a major milestone in LEGO’s sustainability journey. Tim Brooks, VP of Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group, highlighted the importance of this transition, stating, “Phasing out single-use plastic from our products has been a priority for us, as plastic is rarely recycled compared to paper. Over the past three years, we’ve worked through numerous technical challenges to ensure the new bags meet the high standards our fans expect.”
The shift to paper packaging has been a complex process, involving over 350 LEGO employees who have worked on developing a bag that is durable enough to withstand shipping and manufacturing conditions in diverse climates. Around 70 different papers and formats were tested before the final version was rolled out in factories in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and China.
Expanding Sustainable Packaging Across LEGO Products
In addition to the new pre-pack bags, LEGO is also transitioning other packaging formats to more sustainable options. The Pick & Build walls in LEGO Retail Stores are now offering paper-based containers, replacing plastic cups with flat-pack, quick assembly cardboard boxes. These new boxes are more space-efficient, making them easier to store and ship. The rollout is ongoing across European and North American markets in 2023, with South American and Asian markets to follow in 2024.
Similarly, the packaging for LEGO® Minifigures collectibles has shifted from single-use plastic to recyclable cardboard boxes. This change, which began in August, is expected to save approximately 30 tons of single-use plastic annually based on 2022 sales figures.
Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
This transition is part of LEGO’s broader commitment to environmental sustainability. In September, the company announced plans to triple its investment in sustainability, pledging over $1.4 billion towards sustainability-related initiatives over the next three years. The expansion of in-box paper bags and the new packaging for Pick a Brick and LEGO Minifigures are key steps in reducing the company’s environmental impact.
