Barbie backlash: Ecoveritas slams movie’s irresponsible waste generation from merchandise deals

22 Sep 2023 --- As Barbie, one of the highest grossing movies of all time, continues to receive praise and criticism, Ecoveritas is drawing attention to the mounting consumer waste its merchandise collaborations have created during the blockbuster’s promotion.

While some people have praised the Barbie movie’s aggressive marketing tactics, the environmental data specialist has highlighted an “untold environmental cost” that has wrapped “the planet in a thick pink blanket.”

The movie’s collaborations have extended through personal care, fashion and other industries. Some notable products came from Lush, Nyx, OPI.

“Even during microtrends, packaging’s role should strive not to introduce complex material combinations that would inhibit recyclability. Responding to microtrends should not give way to less sustainable packaging material,” Erin Gilchrist, research intern at Ecoveritas, tells Packaging Insights.

“Refill or reuse models are incompatible with trends like these, making it more important to focus on packaging material content and recyclability.”

Clothes cloaked in plastic
The film was released on July 21, and owner of Barbie, Mattel’s stock value has increased by around 4.5% since the start of its marketing campaign.

Barbie is the highest grossing film in Warner Bros history (Image credit: Ecoveritas).The fashion industry had approximately 35 brands that released tie-in merchandise. Some of these products came from fast fashion brands, including Primark, Zara and Boohoo.

The textile industry reportedly accounts for up to 10% of global carbon emissions. According to Science of The Total Environment, approximately two-thirds of all textile items are now synthetic, dominated by petroleum-based organic polymers.

Ecoveritas asserts that once items have been purchased and used, they are notoriously difficult to recycle due to the combination of multiple materials.

The environmental consultancy reported that a search for “Barbie” on online fashion store Depop returns almost 20,000 results, with under half of the items labeled “unused” and “like new.” The top five labels in this search are all fast fashion brands, specifically those that have released a “Barbie” product line following the film’s success.

However, not all the collaborations were with seemingly unsustainable fast fashion brands. Online marketplace ThredUp partnered with the costume designer for the Barbie movie to curate a collection of second-hand clothes that fit the Barbie theme. These clothing items produce less waste, at it gives items another life instead of them ending up in landfills.

“ThredUp only operates in the US and Canada. I also wouldn’t say this [second life approach] has a ‘positive’ [environmental] impact but just a less negative one,” says Gilchrist.

ThredUp products are shipped in plastic mailers made from 100% recycled plastic and are completely recyclable. The consignment company says the eco-impact is less than paper mailers. Paper mailers take 17 times more water than the company’s recycled plastic mailers, and creating one recycled mailer takes three times less energy than paper, it says.Lush created a Barbie-themed perfume in collaboration with the movie.

Some fast fashion brands, such as H&M, have made commitments to reduce their plastic packaging. In 2022, the company reduced absolute plastic packaging volume by 44% against a 2018 baseline and used 55% post-consumer recycled plastic in its packaging.

A dangerous precedent?
Meanwhile, Gilchrist says that the public has been focusing on the waste from Barbie doll sales. These plastic dolls are packaged with a screen of plastic. “Articles seem to have been more focussed on the plastic waste created by the dolls themselves and how the film will increase this waste through increasing doll sales,” she says.

Other collaborations, such as the Barbie x Lush deal, has reportedly generated over £1.7 million (US$2.1 million) in sales across the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, UAE, Taiwan, Bahrain and Hong Kong.

“There were over 100 brand collaborations for the Barbie Movie – from what I can find, that is the highest number of partnerships for any film,” says Gilchrist.

“The Barbie movie is certainly not the only film with a load of merchandise attached. A concerning point is that marketers are looking at the promotion of the Barbie movie as a huge success, which economically it is. Barbie’s marketing campaign looks like it has set a precedent for future films.”

However, Gilchrist explains: “It is really difficult to measure the waste that the Barbie movie creates.”

“The problem of hyper-consumption and therefore the negative environmental impacts that the construction of these [products] create is also not mitigated. Promotions of films should include reminders and practical tips to consume less and more responsibly for [environmental] sustainability to be a priority when purchasing.”

By Sabine Waldeck

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