LEGO Crosses the Halfway Mark in Its Global Shift to Paper Packaging

The LEGO Group has announced a major step forward in one of its most visible sustainability commitments: replacing the plastic bags inside its iconic building sets with paper-based alternatives. The company confirmed that more than half of its packaging lines worldwide have now completed the transition, almost doubling the share from the previous year and marking a significant acceleration in its move away from single-use plastics. The update represents one of the strongest indicators yet of LEGO’s determination to redesign its products and operations to align with long-term climate and circularity targets. The progress follows the company’s decision in 2023 to begin phasing out plastic pre-pack bags and replace them with new paper bags, beginning in Europe and Asia. What seemed like a simple packaging tweak from the outside required an extensive engineering overhaul, months of testing, and new machinery across multiple continents. The company has framed this work as a foundational part of its broader strategy to reduce emissions, lower waste and source materials more responsibly across every part of the value chain.

 

The Packaging Transition Within LEGO’s Wider Climate Roadmap

 

This shift to paper packaging sits within a larger framework of commitments that LEGO has set for the decade ahead. By 2032, the company wants all of its products and packaging to be made from more sustainable materials or from inputs that are recycled, renewable or designed to generate almost no waste. The company has also set quantitative climate goals: a reduction of carbon emissions by 37 percent by 2032 based on a 2019 baseline, and a long-term pathway toward net zero emissions across the value chain by 2050. For LEGO, packaging is one of the most carbon intensive parts of its operations after raw materials and manufacturing. Millions of LEGO sets leave its factories each year and each box historically contained multiple single-use plastic pre-pack bags. Changing this system at global scale means redesigning established processes that have been in place for decades. According to LEGO, its engineers tested around 180 paper types before identifying a formulation strong enough to endure the rigors of mechanical packing and global logistics while still maintaining the tactile experience that customers associate with opening a LEGO set.

 

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Regional Progress Shows How Fast the Rollout Is Advancing

 

LEGO’s updated figures reveal how the transition is unfolding across its global production network. As of now, 56 percent of all packaging lines for LEGO bricks have moved away from plastic in favor of paper. The rollout is most advanced in Asia, where 91 percent of the lines are already using the new bags. Europe follows with 70 percent. Progress in the Americas has reached 35 percent, a figure the company expects to rise sharply as new equipment is installed. The company indicated that the transition in China and Vietnam is almost complete, with only minor adjustments remaining. Its factories in the Czech Republic and Hungary are targeted to finalize the transition by 2026. The Mexico facility, one of LEGO’s largest, is scheduled to complete the process in 2027. Once the rollout is complete, every new LEGO set manufactured anywhere in the world will contain paper-based bags in place of the traditional plastic ones. This geographically staggered approach, LEGO explained, is the result of logistical realities such as machinery availability, factory refurbishment timelines, and the need to train production staff on new operating procedures. The company has stressed that the ultimate goal is consistent implementation across all regions without compromising quality or customer experience.

 

Improving Performance and Speed Across Paper-Based Lines

 

Replacing a packaging material is only the first stage of the transition. LEGO now faces the challenge of making sure its new paper-based lines can keep pace with global production demand. The company noted that the paper bags, while more environmentally aligned, initially required slower packing speeds due to differences in durability and handling. Engineers are now focused on boosting line performance so that paper-based systems can equal or surpass the throughput of the older plastic-packaging machines. Jesper Toubøl, Vice President for R&D Packing and Packaging, described the shift as an iterative journey. The goal is not only to complete the rollout but also to refine the entire process so that paper bags deliver a world-class building experience for children and families. Toubøl emphasized that LEGO views this as an opportunity to set a new benchmark for sustainable packaging in the global toy and consumer goods industries.

 

Why Replacing a Small Plastic Bag Matters for Climate and Waste Goals?

 

Although each bag is a small component of a LEGO set, the aggregate effect is substantial due to the company’s enormous scale. LEGO produces hundreds of millions of boxed sets every year. Each box contains multiple pre-pack bags, which historically added up to a significant volume of single-use plastics. Eliminating these bags reduces resource use and prevents plastic waste across dozens of countries where LEGO is sold. The move is also significant for consumer awareness. For many families, the plastic bags are one of the most tangible elements of LEGO’s packaging. The replacement with paper serves as a clear and visible signal of the company’s sustainability direction. The bags are also widely recyclable, making it easier for households to dispose of packaging responsibly. For LEGO, this transition also supports its broader efforts to decarbonize the value chain. Even though packaging is just one element of its climate strategy, it intersects with material sourcing, energy use, transportation, and product end-of-life considerations. As durable plastic alternatives for the bricks themselves remain technically complex, packaging serves as an important area where near-term progress can be made while innovation continues.

 

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A Milestone That Sets the Stage for the Next Phase of Progress

 

With more than half of its global packaging lines fully transitioned, LEGO is entering the next stage of its sustainability journey. The company aims to complete the transition across all factories by 2027. After that, its focus will turn toward improving the speed, efficiency and recyclability of the new system, as well as exploring innovations that can further reduce carbon impacts in packaging and materials. By making this shift at such a large scale, LEGO is positioning itself as a leader within the toy industry and as a case study in how global brands can redesign long-standing systems without compromising product quality. The progress so far demonstrates that material changes can be made at industrial scale when research, investment and engineering are aligned behind a clear goal. The transition away from plastic packaging is only one part of the company’s wider sustainability roadmap, but it is one that consumers can see immediately. As LEGO approaches the final stages of the rollout, the company is laying the groundwork for more ambitious shifts in materials, manufacturing and value-chain innovation in the years ahead.

 

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