New opportunities to acquire toys on the market began, and these new practices and materials were massively utilized, leading to new consumption mechanisms and environmental issues. While the Industrial Revolution furthered the production of toys, the rise of department stores in the 19th century boosted toys’ accessibility, thereby reinforcing children’s toy consumerism.
In 2015, parents spent an average of 465 USD in several countries like the United States, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom (Wong, 2018). Cooper (2005) argued that the lack of connection between consumer choices and waste in debate leads to the failure of conscious consumption, particularly in industrialized countries where waste has been increasing. Moreover, they argue that this trend can be an example of what they call a ‘throwaway society’ (Cooper, 2005). It can be explained through the basis of our economy, which has now been compromised by marketing-for-consumption (Fine, 1995). This new marketing has been intensifying in recent years as part of the later stages of industrialization. Its strategy lies in the perception of symbolism and material benefits that come from using these objects, in this context, toys. Additionally, consumers are always taught to look for the next good because they lack the resources and/or the skills to produce one, thereby encouraging them to purchase it (Fine, 1995). This new consumerist attitude has now emerged in children’s behavior, either by demanding the new trendy toy or by disregarding the financial value of their new toy (Fine, 1995), adding on how toys have been disposable these days.