Toy Amnesty

Build-A-Bear in a Happy Meal box style house, with a blue sky background with illustrated air balloons and a white floor.

Build-A-Bear Happy Meal® Toys

From 2026, all plush Happy Meal® toys are now made using rPET.

We've had a play

Happy Meal® Toys have been providing children with hours of play time over the past 40 years in the UK, and we want to ensure the toys and books we offer are fun, engaging and durable.

That’s why we’re using an approach that helps us choose the right material for the right toy.

This move is the latest in an ongoing journey. We are committed to continuing our research and development to find the best possible materials that produce great toys.

Four Build-A-Bear plush teddy bear heads on a key chain on a yellow shelf.

The Science Bit

You might not see the difference, but it’s there. Our plush toys are now made using rPET – a recycled plastic material. PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, which is commonly used to make water bottles and polyester fabrics. Using rPET supports our wider aim to reduce virgin fossil-based plastics in Happy Meal® toys around the globe and transition to renewable or recycled materials*. Here’s how it all works…

Illustration of a person in a white lab coat pouring two colored liquids from triangular flasks into a large beaker labeled “TOY MIX” on a yellow background.

Recycled, not new

We use rPET, created from recycled plastic bottles, to make the body fabric and stuffing for these toys (excludes stitching and label). It’s designed to be soft, durable and perfect for play.

Illustration of a large certificate with colorful horizontal bars and text at the top. At the bottom, a person in a white lab coat is holding an oversized pencil and signing the certificate. The background is solid yellow.

Same softness, fresh thinking

They’re just as cuddly and colourful as ever, but now they’re made with materials that have been given a new purpose.

Illustration of a person in a white lab coat holding a clipboard labeled “TEST” and writing notes. Next to them is a small machine with a blue car inside, surrounded by wavy lines suggesting testing. A green checkmark in a thought bubble appears above.

A small change, a good one

We’re rethinking what goes into our toys, one plush at a time – using recycled plastic fabrics to help reduce waste and support our goal to transition our Happy Meal® toys to more sustainable materials by the end of 2025*.

Image of toys in a circular border with an arrow pointing to another circular border containing books.

Be a Wastebuster!

In the UK, we’ve teamed up with Wastebuster through the Recycle to Read programme to encourage families to rehome unwanted toys once they’ve finished playing with them, or recycle any old or broken small hard plastic toys.

Recycle to Read is a collective initiative that is building a new system for recycling plastic toys, while giving books to schools to support children’s literacy. Simply scan the QR code on one of the Recycle to Read collection bins to log your recycling, and you’ll earn Planet Care Points for registered schools that help them get free books. Find your nearest recycling point in the UK on the link below!

Find Out More

Disclaimer

Any changes to advertised services will be announced on this page (mcdonalds.co.uk/happymeal). Data charges may apply when accessing online content. Digital devices are not included.

*For plant-based plastics to be considered sustainable for McDonald’s, a minimum of 60% of plastic weight is required to come from recycled or renewable content or a combination of recycled and renewable content.