To wonder why the government can’t do anything about all the plastic tat for kids

[MarmaLaid]

Kinder egg crap, mash’ums, lol dolls, squishies, all these blind bag nonsenses, the list could go and on. It just seems so bizarre that In the current crisis, these companies are allowed to sell such shit and for such extortionate prices. My DD always wants this sort of stuff but I just can’t anymore and she thinks it’s so unfair of course. They talk of supermarkets and carriers and coffee shops and cups but I’ve never seen any conversation around children’s toys which I think by far is the worst for plastic consumption

Well even though they're cheap tat, they're not single-use plastics in the same way coffee cups and carrier bags are. Though the packaging might be.

Just don't buy them.

One could argue they are single use, my dd got bored soon after she opened her suprise bag of shat

I wont buy anymore too but it just made me think about it whilst I’m the toy shop getting a gift today, there was a guy Buying his kid every single piece of plastic extortionate toy going, he even asked what one was and the child replied ‘I don’t know’

I was thinking this today....for me it's the magazine's, cbbeies etc. Front page covered. with plastic shite that doesn't last a day or so before it's broken and binned

I totally agree.i wanted to buy a magazine as a treat for my granddaughter but found it almost impossible to find one without plastic bits and pieces attached.It is so depressing and unnecessary, and the run up to Xmas only makes it worse.Of course children need to have fun and play but so many of the plastic tat toys out there are one minute wonders.I also hate the proliferation of the balloon and flowers in plastics left for weeks at the roadside.And would like ballon releases banned.There are plenty of other far less polluting ways of expressing grief.But I know that oppinion wont necessarily go down well.

Totally agree with this! I wonder if things will change, we live in a capitalist society sadly which drives things.

I googled it and so many petitions about it but none I found with any oomph in them. It’s such a shame to see, the magazine thing also, what does it teach our children too? It’s ok to keep throwing away and buying things.

I agree, it's something that's been on my mind.

Have tried to compromise by only buying blind bag type toys that I felt they would actually play with eg, lego and playmobil figures that get added to their existing sets and when they are done with can be sold or charity shipped as still good quality second hand toys.

No more kinder eggs! They almost never play with them and the toys aren't usually good enough for the charity shop when they are done.

Hear, hear; I agree. So much plastic crap for kids....just get rid of it all.

They don't want to. Business.

Agree with others on the magazine shyte. It is completely unnecessary. I would happily sign a petition calling an end to it.

I deplore plastic crap but I think YABabitU, there is an obvious answer which is not to buy this stuff.

I think food packaging is another matter. Food unlike toys is a necessity and it's hard to buy food with minimal packing.

The Happy Meal toys really upset me. They build up in a drawer and I can't bear to put them in the bin for landfill but no-one else will want them and they won't recycle.

I was telling my daughter just this morning about how all the plastic toys she wants out of the £1 machines at soft play/swimming baths etc are a waste of resources.
I am drowning in plastic things. I guess everyone else is, so I'm now trying to buy kids presents more along the lines of reading books, colouring books or activity books rather than things made of plastic too.
Nanny and granny have also been requested to stop with the plastic "tat" . My mum certainly never bought me that sort of thing, it's wasn't so readily available when I was a kid, so I'm trying to get her to save her money or treat them to something useful instead.
The amount of new plastic coming into the house has been reduced dramatically.
I've never seen a petition, I'd certainly sign one.

Those balloon holders really annoy me.

YANBU though I don’t think that the government are really in a position to do anything. Consumers would have to vote with their wallet and just stop buying all the shit.

Profit comes first.

People worship capitalism. How many times have we heard that the private sector does things better etc etc. No they don’t - it’s just set out to make money.

Plastic tat sells. It’s cheap to produce, kids want it, parents buy because it keeps kids quiet for a bit!

Best bet would be to write to magazines and tell them you won’t buy their titles because of the plastic nightmare. The more that do, the more they’re likely to listen because they’re worried about losing £££.

Believeitornot I agree and I also think people are more aware and many want less plastic. Whereas a magazine is more easily recycled (I think !) And nowadays that could be a benefit to promote.

Finally! I've been saying this for years on kids party bag tat and usually get 'but kids love them!' Yeah so does landfill.

We need to go back to good quality toys and reap the rewards of second hand

Capitalism innit?

And balloons. Please can these be next on the shit list? Why is it bad to use a straw but fine to let balloons float away? It is littering.

I don't buy my children tat so they do ask for tat so I don't buy them tat. It is easy to avoid and if we are going to be perfectly honest no lore or less polluting than all the nappies, sanitary towels, single use drink cups, condoms etc. If you value not adding tat to landfill above whatever it is that tat supposedly gives children then don't buy it but don't try to take the choice away from other parents. I don't get tat tbh but i do think that people should be able to buy it if they like it. How would you feel if somebody tried to ban single use sanitary products? Or single use cups? Or one of the other million and one use and chuck products you most likely take for granted.

Beano is the one magazine I bought my Ds due to refusing to pay for plastic tat.

Unless I am missing something the government have only stepped in n about plastic bags nothing else.

Do you not think the government has imposed enough bans on us?