Markus Spiske – public domain.
Imagine a world where your favorite LEGO bricks are not just fun but also eco-friendly! LEGO has pledged to increase the recycled plastic in its iconic bricks to a whopping 50% by 2026. And guess what? They’re footing the bill for it!

This bold move is projected to spike production costs by an eye-watering 70%. However, the company’s CEO confidently declared that LEGO would absorb these expenses. The ultimate goal? To encourage companies producing recycled plastic monomers to scale up and bring down costs.

Despite a challenging year for the toy industry, LEGO’s revenue surged by 26%. Its secret weapon? A diverse range of sets that appeal to everyone—from Star Wars and Harry Potter fans to adults who love building bonsai trees and Lamborghinis. This strategy has led to record-breaking profits this year.

“Our portfolio continues to be relevant for all ages and interests, driving significant demand across markets. We used our solid financial foundation to further increase spending on strategic initiatives which will support growth now and in the future. Our aim is to bring learning through play to even more children,” said Niels Christiansen, CEO of LEGO, according to the Guardian.

But Christiansen isn’t stopping there. He envisions an 8-year investment strategy exceeding $350 million to replace up to half of the fossil fuels in their plastics with a sustainable resin made from used cooking oil, food industry waste fats, or outright recycled plastic.

The market for these alternatives is still evolving, making them two to three times more expensive than using fossil fuels. However, passing such high costs onto consumers—who already find LEGO sets pricey—is not an option.

So, Christiansen and the board are ready to take the hit for now. They’re betting on their financial support and publicity to help firms producing these sustainable alternatives grow and innovate until costs become comparable with fossil fuels.

LEGO has also broadened its Replay program—a recycling initiative that repurposes LEGO bricks for new sets. Users can mail in their unwanted LEGOs, with shipping costs covered by the company.

Already, over a million pounds of LEGO bricks have been received through the Replay program, and over 400,000 sets of repurposed bricks have been gifted to children.

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Source: Good News Network