The new Playmobil set which reproduces a fast-food restaurant, sold for €49.99 and limited to around 11,000 copies, does not look like an ordinary toy. This miniature box is already causing consumer associations and nutrition experts to react. At the center of criticism, the partnership between
Playmobil And Burger Kingaccused of fueling an “obesogenic” environment where junk food becomes child’s play.
This Playmobil Burger King toy controversy also divides parents. In a Franceinfo report, a passerby is outraged by this “apology of junk food”, while another puts it into perspective: “Without the sign, I think it would be fine. But here, in fact, we are encouraging parents to go and consume the brand in question”.
Playmobil Burger King: a very limited collector’s miniature restaurant
The box represents a miniaturized Burger King restaurant, with two employees, two customers and numerous accessories. According to
The Parisianit will accompany certain children’s menus via a competition with scratch tickets, while being sold as a collector’s product as the holidays approach. To justify the operation, a Burger King spokesperson states: “Firefighters, schools, restaurants, all this is part of our daily lives, that’s why we launched this game“, explains a Burger King spokesperson.
The German brand highlights its wide range of everyday decor. “For more than fifty years, the emblematic themes (carried by Playmobil) have been representative of everyday life, with a very great diversity of places, professions, activities and worlds. The Burger King restaurant is part of this very broad offering“, agrees Audrey Beribos, Playmobil France marketing director. In another press release cited by Franceinfo, the fast-food chain repeats: “The Burger King restaurant is part of this very broad offering of more than 700 references. Traditional restaurants, pizza maker, vegetable garden or gym”. And in fact, the brand’s candy stand has not sparked an outcry from dentists or diabetologists… for the moment.
Foodwatch and nutritionists denounce marketing targeting children
But it was the presence of the brand on the set that sparked the controversy. The Foodwatch association, on the contrary, sees a textbook case of marketing targeting children. “This partnership is a great example of the obesogenic environment being pushed to the limit“, denounces Audrey Morice, campaign manager at Foodwatch. “A brand known for promoting products that are too fatty, too sweet or too salty invests even in toys to promote itself, it’s shameful“. She also insists on the presence of the logo: “Not only does she advertise fast food restaurants, but she also puts her brand name on her miniature restaurant, which she didn’t have to do“.
The question of public health comes up again and again. Audrey Morice recalls: “In France, the weight problem among children and adolescents is a real public health concern: 17% to 20% of them are overweight, according to the High Authority for Health.. Researcher Mathilde Touvier, from Inserm and president of the National Nutrition and Health Program, also warns on Franceinfo: “Seeing here a brand which will, with its marketing, directly target children through play and make this brand a norm, as part of the landscape and normality of food, is really something problematic from a public health point of view“.
When the durable toy becomes a junk food carrier at home
For nutritionist Jean-Michel Lecerf, the mechanics are clear: “This is indeed shocking, because it is done to attract parents and children. The least we could do would be for Burger King to improve its offer and condition the delivery of a toy on a balanced meal or healthy food.“.
Foodwatch also recalls another recent partnership, between Kellogg’s and Pokémon, to show that ultra-processed product brands are increasing collaborations with worlds loved by children.
And you, what do you think?