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HAPPY LARKS' TONGUES DAY

47 years ago today, a new incarnation of King Crimson released Larks' Tongues In Aspic. The album marked a radical departure from everything they'd previously done. With guitarist Robert Fripp as the only survivor from the original line-up, the new line-up featuring the heat-seeking work of ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford and the virtuoso bass work of ex-Family bassist John Wetton, who also took on vocals, presented a breath-taking tour of killer riffs, jaw-dropping dynamics, and poignant ballads. Featuring pastoral, Vaughan Williams-style interludes from violinist David Cross, this line-up also embraced a spikier sound that was both willing to rock out as well as explore and experiment with unorthodox textures and atmospherics thanks in part to eclectic percussionist, Jamie Muir.

Here's the background on the making of the album as originally featured in the liner notes for the 40th Anniversary edition of the album, released in 2012.

When Boz Burrell, Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, and Robert Fripp walked off the stage of the Municipal Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama on April 1st, 1972, another chapter in King Crimson's frequently turbulent history had come to an end. With Burrell, Collins, and Wallace staying on in the States to form Alexis Korner's band, Snape, even before the guitarist returned to London there was speculation as to what the guitarist might do next. "Fripp & Hiseman May Form Band" ran the headline in the New Musical Express.

Although that partnership failed to go beyond an exploratory discussion between the principals, Fripp busied himself during the Summer of '72 sifting through the cassette tapes of what would become Earthbound and sounding out potential collaborators. One name suggested to him by Melody Maker writer Richard Williams was Jamie Muir. The drummer and percussionist had been working primarily with the Music Improvisation Company alongside Evan Parker, Hugh Davies, and Derek Bailey, who had also been a member of Pete Brown's Battered Ornaments. Fripp and the percussionist got together as Muir observes "to see if there was a basis for us working together. I remember I was playing some really fast and furious blow-outs, from a drummer's perspective it was the Tony Williams / Billy Cobham type of thing. It was fairly energetic stuff and I think we enjoyed ourselves. He didn't say right then and there 'OK you're in' but I think he said he'd give me a ring."

Although Fripp and Bruford had discussed working together since Crimson supported Yes earlier in February in Boston, it wasn't until May that the pair undertook some exploratory jamming at Bruford's house. "We went into my music room and Robert said: 'If I played this what would you play?' Apparently I must have done the right thing because eventually, he suggested that we do some more!" recalls Bruford. "I hadn't up until that time thought of asking [Bill] because as we all know, he had a good gig with Yes," Fripp told NME's Tony Tyler. At this stage it was by no means certain the King Crimson would be resurrected. Yet it was while a guest in the Bruford household, and sitting in the bath no less, that the notion of a two-drum line-up came to Fripp. "I suddenly thought 'Well, Bill's a lovely drummer but he's perhaps a little too straight for some things...Then I thought of this nut Jamie Muir whom I'd just met, and I thought, well Jamie's a great dru mmer but he's not really straight enough for some of the things I'd like him to do. Now, while I was sitting in the bath...I suddenly had this vivid idea to use the two of them...and it seemed so right."

The next piece of the Crimson jigsaw was Fripp's old friend, John Wetton, who'd been previously asked about joining Crimson when the Islands-era band was coalescing in 1971. It hadn't felt right back then but after several months with Family, the bassist was ready to move on. "One day the phone rang and Robert said 'I'm round at Bill Bruford's (he lived around the corner from me in Redcliffe Gardens) and we're discussing the possibility of doing something. Do you want to pop around?' So I did. I remember Bill came to the door with a carrot in his hand! I thought it felt good as soon as we started talking and so we put the ball in motion. I was actually in the studio with family still working on Bandstand and Bill had been working with Yes doing Close To The Edge. It wasn't a jam or anything. We just sat and talked about what we wanted to do."

For Fripp, a new venture offered the possibility of traversing the musical divide which had opened up after the break-up of the '69 line-up. With Bruford feeling he'd gone as far as he could with Yes, it was a chance to extend his creative vocabulary. As far as Wetton was concerned there would finally be an opportunity to develop as a singer and composer, a role he was firmly denied as a member of Family. By the time that three-way conversation had taken place in Redcliffe Gardens, Fripp had already been invited to see a band called Waves rehearsing in the basement of the cafe on the Fulham Palace Road at the behest of David Enthoven. Although the band failed to catch EG management's attention, violinist David Cross was invited by Fripp to do some playing. "Robert said he was interested in doing what he called an Indian type album and asked if I'd be interested in playing with him and Jamie Muir" recalls Cross. "The first time I met Jamie was when I turned up at his fl at to play and we spent a couple of hours there having a jam, trying some ideas with just guitar, violin and percussion." On Wednesday 19th July Bruford and Wetton broke the news of their decision to quit Yes and Family. "We had to co-ordinate the whole thing," says Wetton. I remember calling Bill from Olympic Studios to wherever he was and agreeing to tell our respective bands. London was like a village then and everyone knew everyone else and if something happened in a recording studio, like in Olympic where I was recording, it would very quickly get to Advision, where Bill was recording. So we had to do things at the same time." David Cross also received a call from Fripp. "He said he was setting up another session but this time with Bill and John and he asked me to come along and he wanted to see what would come out of that. It was that afternoon that the project became King Crimson. There was a discussion as to what it would be called but eventually, by the end of the d ay it was agreed that we'd call it King Crimson."

"King Crimson was the ideal for me because it was a rock band and it had more than three brain cells" recalled Jamie Muir. "I was very much more an instrumental style of musician rather than being song based and there weren't many other bands that I would have been any good in. I was extremely pleased and I felt completely at home with the Crimson." On July 22nd the new line-up made front-page news of Melody Maker: Yes Man To Join Crimson ran the headline. "The New King Crimson rehearsed quietly this week - with Yes' Bill Bruford on drums alongside leader Robert Fripp." It wasn't until the end of August after Fripp had completed his work as producer of Matching Mole's Little Red Record that the new Crimson started working in earnest. Wetton recalls that the early rehearsals outlined the bones of tracks such as Easy Money and Book Of Saturdays (then called Daily Games). Fripp also ran the bare bones of an idea that he'd first tried out with the Islands-era line-up, and which would be later titled Larks' Tongues In Aspic - a phrase coined by Jamie Muir but appropriated by Fripp.

There was a conscious decision to break away from the old Crimson repertoire. Whereas Boz, Mel, and Ian had to a certain extent been hobbled by the necessity of playing material fashioned by previous line-ups, this version of Crimson carried no such baggage. Although groups such as The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Can integrated improvisation into their setlists, it's hard to think of any other rock band operating at the time who took that blistering mixture of calculated risk and blind faith as far as it could go. "There were long stretches where anything could happen and frequently did" laughs Wetton. "A lot of the time, the audience couldn't really tell the difference between what was formal and what wasn't because the improvising was of a fairly high standard. It was almost telepathic at times. You'd automatically know what the other person was going to do and when they were going to do it. Extraordinary. Those kinds of things don't happen very often."

Until now, the only visual record of Muir performing has been a short extract of the band performing Larks' Tongues In Aspic" for the Beat Club programme in Bremen. However, with the full session now released for the first time as part of this release, we can, at last, see this Crimson in full flight. Muir stalks around his exotic percussion rig, an avant-garde court jester ferrying the sounds and sensibilities of free jazz to the world of the rock band. "I always remember I had an urge to get Robert to let his hair down because he was very controlled in the way he played," says Muir. "At the TV gig, I really tried and tried to provoke him."

It's interesting watching the complete video to see how much eye contact plays a part in determining the force and direction of the music. "I was an absolute nervous wreck during that TV recording" admits Cross. "I can remember thinking 'well, I'm going to be found out now'. Looking somebody in the eye means you're furiously sending messages out and receiving them back. It can be quite terrifying for some people to do that kind of improvising, and you need a certain degree of mutually shared experience and be quite comfortable with the people in order to be able to do that. Somehow it was safer to look John Wetton in the eye than it was to ignore him and be out on your own." Returning to the UK, the band announced a huge UK tour that kicked off on November 10th in Hull and ended at Portsmouth's Guildhall on December 15th. Never before had Crimson undertaken such an expansive domestic tour taking in 27 towns and cities, with only five days off. With Earthbound, released in June on Island's budget label imprint HELP being the most recent but hardly the most representative album, when the tour began, none of the audience could have been prepared for what they saw and heard. With nearly half of the set given over to extended exploratory workouts, this new King Crimson was undoubtedly the most challenging and uncompromising line-up to date.

Opening their concerts with the then-unreleased Heavenly Music Corporation (recorded with Brian Eno just two months previously) playing over the PA, the five-piece Crimson took the audience on a dramatic tour of some of rock music's most extreme environments. Blasted with slabs of skull-crunching riffs, raked with hybrid polyrhythms, taunted by abrasive bouts of atonality and occasionally soothing ballads, audiences were frequently stunned by the encounter. On top of the musical assault, Jamie Muir's visual theatrics compounded the wonderment so many experienced. It wasn't just the punters who were shocked by Muir's performance art-antics of throwing chains about the place and spitting blood whilst glowering at the audience. "Jamie's onstage persona never manifested itself in rehearsals" recalls Cross. "I could have died when I first saw him start his antics on stage for the first time. I thought it was wonderful but we had no idea he was going to do it – it was co mpletely out of the blue."

The only familiar point of reference was the inclusion of 21st Century Schizoid Man on the setlist, delivered as an encore, almost as a reward to the audience's patience and trust. This was a radical risk-taking Crimson that during the course of a single concert opened so many portals to diverse and different destinations. Critical reaction to Crimson's return to the live stage bordered on the ecstatic. The NME's Tony Tyler described the "spiritual impact" of the group as being comparable to the first Crimson, predicting that this time the potential which Crimson had always had within its reach would, at last, be grasped. Ian Macdonald wrote in the same paper in December that Crimson produced at least half an hour of the most miraculous rock he'd ever heard, while Melody Maker's Richard Willams extolled the virtues of their "90-minute barrage of phenomenal creativity".

Inevitably perhaps, the real challenge facing this Crimson, as it had been for previous line-ups, was somehow bottling all that ferocious energy generated during the course of a concert and getting it down in a recording studio. After an initial stab at recording the quintet at Wessex studios, Fripp notes that "fairly quickly it became obvious that it wouldn't work, particularly for a double drummer configuration. Wessex couldn't find a drum sound whatever they did. And Command was always available at short notice!" The band was in Command Studios in London's Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday, January 1, 1973, much to John Wetton's chagrin. "In command is one thing you definitely were not in that studio! Things were constantly blowing up, or they were losing bits. We had the engineer, God bless him, who'd never done an edit before. We were talking away over a cup of tea and he had instructions to take a certain amount of footage out of the front of Easy Money so we coul d move the first beat of the bass drum up. So we were sitting there and every now and then would ask how the edit was going. There he was with a razor blade in his hand and then after a while, he told us he'd never done an edit before. We were like 'Fuck! Put that razor blade down!' (laughs) Every day there was something going wrong like that."

Interviewed during the mixing of Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Bruford offered his thoughts views on the frenetic activity undertaken by the band to date "We specifically wanted to tour before making an album having only just met. For example, I knew of Jamie Muir's position in contemporary music but I'd never met him...it was Robert's idea to have Jamie and myself play together, and representing percussion through the ages...We're all still getting to know each other. We've learned to play together on stage, now we are learning to play in the studio." Looking towards the future, Bruford offered " There's a Crimson way of doing things you know. And it's a fairly intense emotional relationship in the band...It's exhilarating to be part of and could produce magical music that will change people."

With work on LTIA finished, the band played two nights at London's Marquee Club. After the first live performance of 1973, on February 10th, Jamie Muir unexpectedly quit. Faced with the band's grueling tour schedule for the months ahead, Muir concluded a path to spiritual enlightenment was preferable. Leaving the group to follow his interests in Buddhism (something he'd been nurturing prior to Crimson), he informed EG management of his decision. Despite offering to serve a period of notice he was urged to leave immediately. The story put out at the time was that the percussionist's absence followed an injury sustained on stage. "That was nonsense about my having injured myself," says Muir. "I think I slightly sprained my ankle but then I did that nearly every night when I played. When I heard about what they'd said, I wondered why would anybody do that — what advantage could there be in not saying what actually happened? It didn't seem to make any sense to me at all, but then there were a number of things which that management did which didn't make any sense except perhaps to themselves." Though Muir's departure marked the end of a brief but intensely fertile period, it also helped usher in the birth of another remarkable chapter in the band's story.

Perhaps because of their general dissatisfaction with the sound achieved at Command, none of the musicians who recorded Larks' Tongues In Aspic are especially comfortable about the finished results. "I look upon it as part of the journey to Red if you like," says Wetton. "It didn't really capture what we could do live. As I see it, there's a very natural progression from Larks' Tongues to Starless And Bible Black, which stretches out a bit sonically. By the time you get to Red, it's all in full flight." Echoing the meteoric trajectory charted by the 1969 incarnation, in just five short months five musicians from different backgrounds and influences distilled their collective experience to create a rock band that stood out and, largely, stood alone in the musical landscape of the day. "I think the music that came out of Crimson was purely a result of people being prepared to listen to each other even though they didn't come necessarily from the same branch of the tree," says David Cross. Jamie Muir puts it like this: "The essence of it was that we were still five musicians carrying with them their qualities and gifts and still trying to find a way of welding it all together into one distinct personality."

Forty years on the music contained on their sole studio album, alongside their live legacy combines to provide compelling testimony to the group's breadth of ambition and startling originality.

 

 

Here are two very contrasting reviews of Larks' Tongues In Aspic. First up, a favourable thumbs-up that appeared in the UK music press courtesy of NME's Ian McDonald...

A NICE RECORD of pleasant, middle-of-the-road music which should prove a great favourite with everybody's mum and dad this Easter. Bill Bruford's whistling has improved out of all recognition and Robert Fripp's Gregorian Chant renditition of 'I Did It My Way' cuts Joaquin Des Prez's original stone dead.

Start again!

Sharks' Lungs In Lemsip is, in fact, a record (in every sense) of King Crimson's current cosmic stage-act, leaving out only the long improvisation called 'Vista Under Arc-Lights' which comes in the middle.

The fact that the group have taken enormous trouble over the mixing of this album is not, in itself, remarkable in this age of quad, flash, and total theatre; what is remarkable, however, is their choice of mixes for.

At almost every point they have avoided the easy drama or conventional felicities most bands would be content with in favour of a sound-balance faithful to what's actually been played – including the odd bomb here and there. And it's in no way a literal proposition either.

This album embodies a creative reinterpretation of what a conventional rock-group should sound like in the studios, a tour-de-force of timbre and rhythm that, in the days of synthesizers and electronics, single-handedly reinstates credibility to the natural sound.

Bands lacking the technical know-how or simple inclination to set off in the direction Faust have indicated should bend an attentive ear to King Crimson. There's a lot to be learned.

Whether you see the album as the group do – a sequence of vivid contrasts of design and sound-quality – or, like me, hear a still slightly uneasy meeting of two extremes, there's no denying the force of the transition from the harsh intensity of Fripp City ('Easy Money') to the windy African grassland on the outskirts of Muirsville ('The Talking Drum').

In terms of personality, Larks' Tongues In Aspic is throughout a respectful tension between Fripp The Composer and Muir The Performer, though to limit either to one function would be to miss the point.

Particularly outstanding from Fripp in his role as group architect are the two parts of the title track which open and close the album, the latter with its elaborately-engineered crescendoes and decrescendoes, the former with its complex and almost classical concept of organisation – echoing, dare I say it, the feel of a symphonic opening movement.

Fripp's guitar is in the foreground to fine effect on 'Easy Money' and runs ingeniously backwards during a brief passage on 'Book Of Saturdays', but impresses most in the textural role, either snarling atmospherically around in the distance or chipping in as a third percussion voice.

Muir features brilliantly in his own right on a couple of tracks, but his introductions to 'Larks' Tongues Part One', 'The Talking Drum', and 'Exiles' are superb extempore compositions in themselves – particularly the last of these, performed on glass tubing.

David Cross's violin is far more effective on record than it is, at present, onstage; both sections of 'Larks' Tongues' contain excellent solos from him, the quiet 'Interlude' from the first part really standing out.

As for Bruford and Wetton, the unity and solidarity of these six performances is entirely in their hands and they don't put a foot wrong, even throwing in some tricksy Yes-type unison work on the already complex verse of 'Easy Money'.

If there are drawbacks to this record they lie (at least for me) in the two ballads which close side one. The group obviously see them as valid contrast, apart from liking them as songs; my view is that they come over as anomalous throw-backs to an earlier, and entirely different, band.

I'm prepared to admit that this criticism merely reveals a personal blind-spot, and certainly fans of the previous versions of King Crimson will find 'Exiles' and 'Book Of Saturdays' the most immediately accessible of the new numbers – but the mix on the former is a little weedy anyway, and the violin sounds slightly out of tune. Nor am I overfond of the lyrics, but there aren't that many of them so I won't complain.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic is a challenging record, but it's rewards are very substantial, even if you'd have to be an odd mixture of a person to like it all without reservation. Final verdict: a classic of its kind and worth every penny of the asking price.

You know, I think old Crimso's onto a winner here.

Next up a skeptical view of Crimson's then-latest offering by Gary Lucas in the pages of American music mag, Zoo World...

ONE THING YOU gotta say about Robert Fripp, the auteur behind King Crimson, is that he's ambitious. After perfecting his mellotron-dominated "Death of the Universe" visions on the band's first three albums, three under-rated albums, his compositional hand has increasingly been attached to more serious, "complex" forms, a la modern day avant-garde jazz and orchestral music.

Islands, the last Crimson album to be released in the States, contained one long piece for orchestra that filled an entire side. The thing was, the music was terrible, a stylistic smorgasboard that coagulated in the listener's head into one greasy meal. Apparently Fripp, like Zappa, was as queasy as most listeners about the validity of certain of his pieces, and like that other musician, included something to undermine its ponderous effect, in this case, a long gimmicky tape of the orchestra tuning up at rehearsal that only succeeded in adding to the pretentiousness of the music, rather than deflating it.

As far as Fripp's flirtation with jazz goes, the man, to be sure, has strong roots in a certain kind of jazz-cocktail lounge jazz, which is easily discernable by listening to the guitar work on Fripp's first record, the English The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp. The schmaltzy Django-based diminshed chords and suspensions run throughout Fripp's compositions, orchestral and otherwise, though it should be added that Fripp is the absolute master of vicious, cold as steel pseudo-jazz guitar which draws heavily on studio gimcrackery – check out the well known break on "Schizoid Man" for example.

Last year Fripp broke up Crimson Mark III after a mediocre American tour that resulted in one pitiful live album that Atlantic had the good sense not to release here. Over the summer, Fripp began to make weighty pronouncements to the British musical press on the new band he was assembling which was to include Bill Bruford, from Yes, on drums, John Wetton from Family on bass and vocals, Jamie Muir on assorted percussion from an obscure English freak-out band named Boris, and young unknown entity David Cross on violin, and the band was supposed to play "white magic". Disc ran an unintentionally hilarious article about the spiritual basis for the band's music before a note had been played by any of them, word of their hermaphroditic collaboration with Roxy Music's Eno was spread, and the band went into the studios to record their first album. It's here, and what's the story Bobby?

They ain't Sun Ra and they ain't Pierre Boulez and they ain't even any of the cats that come in between those two incredible towers of strength. And there's nothing magical about this music. There is only one Magic Band, and this one isn't it. Instead of just telling you potential suckers out there not to waste your money, which I'd dearly like to do and leave it at that, I'm supposed to offer some sort of analysis of the music. Si tu dois partir...

1) There isn't one new original idea here that wasn't developed by Fripp or somebody else years ago. Forget anything you may ever have heard about them being avant-garde.

2) The music falls into two distinct categories - extended FAROUT instrumentals and syrupy, straighter pop tunes. The instrumentals have absolutely nothing to recommend them except for Muir's thumb piano which opens side one. They all feature distinct "movements", a concept that was outdated at the turn of the century, and the customary obligatory electronics, some of them, like indistinct voices, so trite an effect that it's not even worth fiddling with the volume controls to make out what they're saying. There are also many TIME CHANGES, oh yes, real ones like 5/4 and 7/8, but they always let you know when they're gonna change the time signature by breaking off the "movement". If you like pop tunes, buy Kevin Ayer's Joy of a Toy if you can find it.

3) Jamie Muir isn't Airto, but his percussion effects are intermittently interesting, although at times it seems their purpose is to distract the listener's attention away from the weak compositions and the rest of the band's instrumental deficiencies, Wetton's Jon Anderson-ish voice, so effective on Family's "Larf and Sing", is constantly double-tracked and filtered so he winds up singing like Boz, the former Mr. Machine vocalist for Crimson and one more example of Fripp's diabolical pervasive influence. David Cross suffers from a severe handicap – he can't play the violin, which is maybe why he is given only the most rudimentary instrumental lines. To paraphrase Pauline Kael, if a contest was held between David Cross and the violinist of String Driven Thing to determine who was the worst violinist, the violinist for String Driven Thing would lose.

4) Consolation - at least Peter Sinfield doesn't write lyrics for them anymore.

Well, one out of four ain't bad.

 

COVID-19 in Canada: What's closed due to coronavirus concerns

TORONTO -- Customer-facing businesses across Canada have scrambled to make hard decisions on whether to close or remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many have taken the advice of health authorities and closed their doors.

Here’s a roundup of the growing list of companies that have decided to cease operations, albeit temporarily, in a bid to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

GYMS AND HEALTH CENTRES

Canada’s biggest gym chain has closed all its locations across the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Goodlife Fitness and Fit4Less Clubs chief executive David Patchell-Evans made the announcement late Sunday night.

“As the virus continues to spread in communities across Canada we have made the difficult but important decision to close all GoodLife Fitness Clubs across Canada, effective immediately,” the statement read.

“We know that exercise is extremely important to an individual’s physical and mental health and we are currently working on digital at-home fitness options.”

The company has pledged to pay its staff for the next two weeks to “lessen the burden of this tremendous change.”

It added that member payments will be suspended as of March 17 and “paid-in-full memberships will be put on freeze until further notice and expiry dates will be extended accordingly.”

YMCA Canada, which also runs health clubs across the country, said “decisions regarding the status of programs and services will be made by local YMCA Member Associations.”

The YMCA of Greater Toronto has decided to close all its centres until April 5, with the YMCAs of Quebec closing theirs until March 29.

On Monday, Orangetheory Fitness announced it would also close all its gyms in Canada until at least March 30.

“We believe it to be in the best interest of our members and the community as a whole to close all Orangetheory Fitness studios as soon as is orderly possible,” Blake MacDonald, president of Orangetheory Fitness Canada, said in a news release.

According to the company, all memberships will be frozen effective March 17.

LA Fitness confirmed it would be shutting its clubs starting March 16 until at least April 1.

“In order to do our part in the efforts to flatten the curve and impact of this virus, we have made the very difficult decision to close the operations of all our clubs,” the company said in an email to members.

“All memberships will be extended to cover the time the clubs are closed.”

The Planet Fitness Canada chain is offering free 20-minute fitness classes on Facebook live at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET every day.

Meanwhile, other recreation options are disappearing as businesses across the globe respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

BARS AND RESTAURANTS

Ontario declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, closing all bars and restaurants, with the exception of those offering takeout and delivery.

In Quebec, Premier François Legault has asked restaurants to limit their capacity to 50 per cent, in order to create more space between customers.

Alberta declared a state of public emergency on Tuesday and banned gatherings of 50 people or more, including weddings. Public recreation facilities, casinos, bingo halls, bars, museums, art galleries will all be closed.

Meanwhile, food delivery service SkipTheDishes has suspended cash payments as a precaution to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Customers also have the option of requesting contactless delivery orders, the food-delivery service told CTV News in a statement. Restaurant partners have been advised to seal all takeout bags to limit exposure and unnecessary contact.

Coffee giant Starbucks officially moved to close all of their cafes and shift to drive-thru and delivery only on March 20, after testing out serving only to-go orders in their stores. They said in a statement that an exception would be made for cafes in or around hospital and health care centers in order to continue to serve health care workers. 

Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. has asked its Canadian restaurant owners to provide take-out, drive-thru and delivery only. The company said Monday it is closing all “dining room” seating at Tim Hortons effective Tuesday and will continue the closures until further notice.

Late Monday, the Keg Steakhouse and Bar announced it would close each of its locations in the Canada and the U.S. by the end of the business day on March 17. The steakhouse said it anticipates the closure to last two weeks.

DavidsTea has closed its 230 stores in Canada and the U.S. The company will continue to sell products online and through grocery and other retailers.

Second Cup Coffee Co. has closed all of its in-store dining area but will continue serving and drinks to go, for delivery or via drive through.

Recipe Unlimited Corp. â€" which owns Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, New York Fries and Pickle Barrel â€" is also closing its dining rooms as of Wednesday. Some restaurants will continue to offer take out, delivery and drive-through sales.

As of March 22, McDonald’s Canada is closing its dining rooms and take-out service, and is suspending curbside pickup. The fast food giant said it will still offer drive-thru and McDelivery service.

McDonald’s notes that “select restaurants may continue to offer take-out service in communities where there are specific needs, including locations near hospitals and healthcare facilities.” The company says it’s working closely with franchisees to identify those locations.

In Ontario, the Beer Store and the LCBO are limiting their hours and won’t be accepting returned bottles or cans for the next two weeks.

Beginning on Thursday, the Beer Store will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those stores that already operated only until 6 p.m. will maintain regular hours.

The LCBO, on the other hand, will operate from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CINEMAS

Ontario’s emergency declaration has ordered all cinemas to close across the province until March 31, when the situation will be reassessed, the provincial government said.

Canada’s largest movie chain Cineplex announced late Monday that it would close 165 theatre locations nationwide until at least April 2. The chain is also closing the Rec Room and Playdium.

The second biggest cinema operator Landmark, with 46 theatres, followed shortly after Cineplex's announcement saying that it would close all of its locations across the country, which span Western Canada, Ontario and the Yukon.

VISITOR AND CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS

Cultural institutions across the country are shutting their doors and calling off events because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving some concerned for the health of Canada's arts scene, The Canadian Press reports.

The National Museums of Canada said its public institutions will be closed Saturday until further notice.

A raft of visitor attractions in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario were already shut out of concern for COVID-19, ahead of Tuesday’s emergency declaration that ordered all live entertainment venues to close until March 31.

The Art Gallery of Ontario said Wednesday that it will remain closed through April 5.

City of Ottawa recreation and cultural facilities are now closed for the next three weeks.

SHOPPING

Ikea Canada has announced the temporary closure to its stores, effective immediately.

The company said in a press release Wednesday, that the closures are “until further notice,” though online shopping and store click and collect pick-up is still available.

“IKEA will continue to support co-workers through its comprehensive benefits package and paid leave policy,” it said.

Costco will remain open, but the company said it will take steps to control the number of people allowed in its warehouses.

All Hudson’s Bay stores are being closed for two weeks, and the company plans to reassess the situation at that time. All store associates will be paid for scheduled shifts during the closure.

Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th, which are both owned by Hudson’s Bay Co., will do the same.

Canadian bookstore Indigo is closing all Indigo and Chapters stores until March 27, citing concerns about the health and safety of customers and employees.

Nordstrom is the latest retailer to announce store closures in a bid to protect staff and customers from COVID-19.

The Seattle-based clothing chain is closing all its stores for two weeks starting Tuesday and has promised to pay staff for the time off.

Up-scale clothing retailer Holt Renfrew announced that it is closing all locations “until further notice.” Online shopping will remain available.

H&M is closing all of its American and Canadian retail locations until April 2, starting Tuesday.

Clothing retailer Uniqlo announced Monday that it would close its Canadian stores until March 30, beginning on Tuesday. The company said it will continue to pay employees during that time.

Vancouver-based clothing retailer Aritzia Inc. is closing all of its stores until further notice.

Similarly Nike has closed its stores in Canada until March 27.

Tech giant Apple has closed all its stores outside China until March 27.

Skincare company Kiehls and makeup retailer Sephora have temporarily closed all of their Canadian locations.

Toys "R" Us is closing all 82 of its Canadian stores until March 30.

Claire's Stores Inc. is closing all of its North American stores until at least March 27. Employees will be paid for scheduled shifts.

Le Chateau announced Wednesday that it is closing all of its stores immediately until March 29. The retailer will continue to offer online shopping during the closure.

Second-hand store giant Value Village announced that they would be closing all of their Savers, Value Village, Unique and Village des Valeurs stores across North America on March 20. They said the closure would last until April 6. 

On Wednesday, furniture store Structube closed all of its 75 stores across Canada until March 28. All employees will be paid their regular wages during that time. Until further notice, scheduled deliveries are still in effect, and the company has extended its return policy to 14 days from seven days.

In an email to Costco customers on Wednesday, Costco President and CEO Craig Jelinek said the company is taking extra measures to keep store shelves and shopping carts clean, while reducing some services.

The company is also limiting purchases of certain items to ensure more customers have access to the supplies.

EB Games Canada closed all of its retail locations after the company garnered scrutiny for attracting lineups during the launch of a new video game.

ELECTRONIC RETAILERS

While many stores across the country have closed, a number of electronic retailers have indicated they plan to stay open during the health emergency in order to help people and business stay connected.

Best Buy, Staples Canada, and Canada Computers & Electronics have all announced their retail locations would stay open, but with reduced hours. Both Best Buy and Staples Canada said they would also limit the number of customers allowed into their stores at one time in order to follow social distancing guidelines during the pandemic.

On the other hand, The Source, which is owned by BCE Inc., the parent company of CTV News, said  all of their corporately-owned retail locations across the country will remained closed until March 31. 

BANKS

CIBC said 816 of its locations will stay open with modified hours. Another 206 locations that don’t offer over-the-counter cash and banking services will close on Wednesday.

RBC Royal Bank said it is temporarily closing some, but not all, of its branches this week and is taking steps to help employees work from home.

- With files from CTVNews.ca Writers Ben Cousins, Graham Slaughter and Jackie Dunham, The Canadian Press and The Associated Press

Best Minecraft toys and gifts for Christmas

Lego Minecraft The First Night, £39.99

Age suitability: 8+

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Your kids have probably already made an exact to scale replica of the Starship Enterprise on their video game version, so why not take things back to basics with this First Night Lego set? Lego is, after all, the original Minecraft.

It may be more low-tech than their beloved games, but hardcore minifans of the game will love the detail on the pixelated Steve figure and his archenemy zombie, the Creeper. Once they've had fun building to survive, they're bound to display the completed set in pride of place in their bedroom.

Available from: Toys R Us

Minecraft Steve with Horse, £12.99

Age suitability: 6+

This scale action figure set features Steve on his horse with a bale of hay and apple.

Available from: Argos

Minecraft Foam Pickaxe, £19.99

Age suitability: 4+

This full size foam replica of the Diamond pickaxe from Minecraft will have fans mining away for hours – and hopefully not attacking other Minecraft fan friends (although it is only foam).

Available from: Smyths Toys

Minecraft Creeper Plush Toy with Sound, £20.98

Age suitability: 3+

Squeeze this Minecraft Creeper soft toy and it'll make the Creeper hiss and explosion sound from the game. A perfect stress reliever when the game gets too intense.

Available from: Amazon

Gameband and Minecraft, £59.99

Age suitability: 6+

It is pricey, but this hi-tech band is more than just a snazzy bracelet – it stores your entire Minecraft game so you can pick up where you left off on the computer at your gran's house.

Available from: Currys

Animal Mob 6 Pack, £15.99

Age suitability: 6+

This highly detailed and moveable action figure pack includes 6 pixelated animals: Cow, Chicken, Pig, Sheep, Tamed Wolf and Ocelot from the game.

Available from: Forbidden Planet

Baby Sheep, £9.99

Age suitability: 3+

Minecraft for little ones! This baby sheep soft toy has the pixelated look the game is famous for.

Available from: Toys R Us

Minecraft Paper Craft Overworld Deluxe Playset, £18.99

Age suitability: 6+

This clever Paper Craft activity set includes over 90 pieces. Apparently it's easy to build – but we reckon you'll need to prepare for paper tears, real tears and lots of Sellotape.

Available from: I Want One Of Those

Cow, Steve and Spider Mini Figures, £10.99

Age suitability: 6+

These 3 tiny characters are highly detailed – perfect from recreating fun scenes from the game. Includes Cow, Steve with Pickaxe, and Spider.

Available from: Toys R Us

Craft Projects For Minecraft And Pixel Art Fans, £4.99

Age suitability: 8+

This ideas-filled book contains instructions for everything from beaded key-rings to knitted cuddly toys and an awesome pixel art mask.

Available from: John Lewis

Check out our other Christmas gift guides

Christmas toys and gifts for:

More ideas…

For the rest of the family:

Festive dress-up time…

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SAS comrades who took part in 1980 Iranian embassy siege engage in furious spat

Who Dares Whines: Furious 'Walter Mitty' spat between former comrades wrecks 40th anniversary of the SAS's stunning Iran embassy rescue

Rusty Firmin and Robin Horsfall among SAS who took part in rescue in London

Firmin has suggested fighting was finished when Horsfall entered the embassy

He also claimed Horsfall's role was to 'evacuate hostages' rather than take on heavily armed terrorists 

By Mark Nicol for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 18:32 EDT, 29 February 2020 | Updated: 18:50 EDT, 29 February 2020

They joined forces in 1980 as members of the masked, black-clad SAS squad that stormed London's Iranian Embassy in a jaw-dropping display of British courage.

The nation watched mesmerised as Rusty Firmin and Robin Horsfall, alongside their fearless Special Forc es colleagues, set off explosives, burst through windows and shot dead hostage-holding terrorists in a hail of sub-machinegun bullets.

The terrifying operation, seen by a spellbound audience of millions on live television on a May Bank Holiday evening, made the SAS what they remain today – the world's most celebrated military unit.

Rusty Firmin – wearing no gloves – is seen with SAS colleagues during the fabled 1980 Iranian embassy assault, in a jaw-dropping display of British courage

In a furious and widely shared online post, Firmin (left) suggested the fighting was finished when his Special Forces colleague Robin Horsfall (right) entered the embassy and that his role was to 'evacuate hostages' rather than take on the heavily armed and deadly terrorists

Fame, if not fortune, followed. Firmin and Horsfall published memoirs recalling their heroics ami d the clouds of CS gas, while celebrated actor Jamie Bell played Firmin in the 2015 feature film Six Days which retold the story of the famous siege.

But now, just weeks before the 40th anniversary of that era-defining mission, a bitter dispute between Firmin and Horsfall has shocked the SAS community.

It is usually considered sacrilege for soldiers to accuse each other of being a Walter Mitty – someone who exaggerates their role to the detriment of others. Yet Firmin has done just that.

In a furious and widely shared online post, Firmin suggested the fighting was finished when Horsfall entered the embassy and that his role was to 'evacuate hostages' rather than take on the heavily armed and deadly terrorists.

Firmin said: '[Horsfall] was a reserve team member during the siege and came in the rear entrance AFTER the assault. The only Robin that seen [sic] genuine action that day was the one nesting under the balcony of the embassy.

'You're not Mr SAS as you portray. Remove the 'S' from the front of SAS and put it to the back. That's what you are. Who dares shares!'

Describing his feud with Horsfall, Firmin adds: 'He has been the aggressor, spouting nonsense about the film Six Days and making pathetic YouTube videos.

'I've never responded because I pitied him.

'I found myself crossing paths with [Horsfall] not so long ago so this is why it is all coming to a head, because he needs to be confronted and questions need to be answered.'

For his part, Horsfall has nicknamed Firmin 'Vermin' and posted cartoons on Facebook depicting himself in a hammock and peacefully reading a book as Firmin, drawn as a baby sitting in a pram, throws toys, mi lk bottles and a dummy while shouting obscenities.

According to SAS insiders, the spat between the veterans is spoiling preparations for the 40th anniversary of the embassy siege, due to be marked in the regiment's home city of Hereford in early May.

As one said last night: 'This is getting very, very bitter. They're both easily narked and age hasn't mellowed them when it comes to their feelings towards each other.'

The acrimonious dispute also centres on the claim by both soldiers to have shot the same Arab terrorist during the siege. In his book, Firmin says that he killed 'Faisal', the second-in-command of the six-man terrorist group on the embassy stairs, and that moments later two other SAS men fired into his corpse 'to make sure' he was dead.

He wrote: 'I saw he [Faisal] was holding a grenade. I fired two bursts into his centre of mass at point-blank range. He fell to the bottom of the stairs like a sack of potatoes and lay there as two more members of the team fired into him to make sure.'

The acrimonious dispute also centres on the claim by both soldiers to have shot the same Arab terrorist during the siege. In his book, Firmin says that he killed 'Faisal', the second-in-command of the six-man terrorist group on the embassy stairs, and that moments later two other SAS men fired into his corpse 'to make sure' he was dead

But in his book, Horsfall says: 'A terrorist stumbled around the corner of the stairwell and down the last few steps. It was Faisal and he held a grenade in his right hand. Without hesitation, I fired one short burst of three rounds at his chest. A soldier inches from him also opened fire. Faisal slumped to the floor like a bag of rags and died.'

The terrorists from the Arabistan People's Political Organisation had taken over the embassy on April 30, demanding the release of political prisoners in Tehran.

Their hostages included embassy staff, policeman Trevor Lock and a BBC sound recordist.

The troops from the SAS's B Squadron went in after the terrorists dumped the dead body of one hostage outside the embassy.

Firmin, now 70, is known in SAS circles as 'No Gloves' as he forgot to wear those issued for the operation. Horsfall, now 62, later became Dodi Fayed's bodyguard before opening his own martial arts school.

Last night, Mr Firmin said: 'I was the team leader, I know who was where. The reserve team, including Horsfall, had not been sent in when I shot Faisal.' But Mr Horsfall said: 'The forensic reports prove I also shot Faisal. I'm trying to ignore Firmin's sad drivel about me.'

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These throwback McDonald’s Happy Meal toys are coming to a location near you

CALGARY – Parents all across Canada will be able to share a little bit of their childhood with their own kids this month as McDonald's is celebrating a big milestone.

Beginning this week, McDonald's Canada will be selling special 40th anniversary Happy Meals that contain some of the most popular toys ever to be found inside them.

Between November 7 and 10, families will be able to collect one of 15 popular toys in the Surprise Happy Meal.

The toys included in the special meals are:

Cowboy McNugget (not available in Quebec) (McDonald's): 1988

Fireman McNugget (not available in Quebec) (McDonald's): 1988

Mail Carrier McNugget (not available in Quebec) (McDonald's): 1988

Hamburger Changeable (McDonald's): 1989

Grimace (McDonald's): 1990

Dino Happy Meal Box Changeable (not available in Quebec) (McDonald's): 1991

McDonald's Hot Wheels Thunderbird (not available in Quebec) (Mattel): 1993

Hamburglar (McDonald's): 1995

Power Rangers (Hasbro): 1995

Space Jam Bugs Bunny (Warner Brothers): 1996

Patti the Platypus (Ty Beanie Baby): 1997

Tamagotchi (Bandai): 1998

My Little Pony (Hasbro): 1998

Furby (Hasbro): 1999

Hello Kitty (Sanrio): 2013

"Happy Meal toys are as synonymous to childhood as the iconic red boxes are to the McDonald's brand," said Antoinette Benoit, chief marketing officer of McDonald's Canada in a release. "Now, parents can share fond memories with their kids while creating new ones as they unbox their Surprise Happy Meal to discover an old favourite."

In addition to providing fun and good food to Canadian families, a portion of each Happy Meal sold in Canada has gone towards supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Since 2004, the Happy Meal program has raised more than $70 million to help families stay close together while their child receives medical treatment.

The Surprise Happy Meal is available in 90 countries around the world and will be available in Canada while supplies last.

More on this story from CTVNews.ca

Jane McDonald leaves a nation in mourning as she QUITS her Cruising series

'I have had a blast!' Jane McDonald leaves a nation in mourning as she QUITS her Cruising series to focus on her music career

By Laura Fox For Mailonline

Published: 11:22 EDT, 28 February 2020 | Updated: 11:25 EDT, 28 February 2020

Jane McDonald has left her fans utterly devastated after quitting her beloved Cruising series.

The presenter, 56, broke the tragic news in a statement on her website, revealing that she's decided to end her travel series after four and a half years to focus on her music career.

Jane added that it's been 'a blast' taking fans on cruises around the world, and after announcing her exit, many fans - including the well-known superfan Adele Roberts - took to Twitter to share their devastation.

Tragic: Jane McDonald has left her fans utterly devasta ted after revealing she's decided to quit her Cruising series to focus on her music career

In her statement, Jane wrote: 'By now you will have seen the news about me stepping away from my shows on Channel 5. 

'It's been an incredible four and a half years of travelling, 38 Cruises and over 100 flights. It's now time for me to spend some time in the UK, concentrate on my music and tours and exciting new projects.

'I want to offer my most sincere thanks to everyone who has worked on all my shows. Everyone at Channel 5 and Viacom International Studios who have all helped make the most incredible and successful programmes.

'It's been a total joy to work with everyone and thank you very much to everyone who has watched and supported the shows. I have had a blast!'

Legendary: The presenter broke the tragic news in a statement on her website, as it was also confirmed that she would no longer host her Holidaying series on Channel 5

As well as her Cruising series, Jane will no longer be presenting Holidaying with Jane McDonald. 

News that the series was coming to an end left fans utterly devastated, with many taking to Twitter to share their reaction. 

Along with a slew of GIFS from fans sharing their upset, one fan tweeted: 'Sorry to hear about the shows but what a great few years you have given us all look forward to more music and whatever else you decide to do.'

Another wrote: 'Such terrible news about Jane McDonald stepping away from Crusing With Jane McDonald. However I'm more than willing to take over and have Cruising With Phillip Dobinson or aviation/flying related. Have a think! Open to offers.'

Gutted: News that the series was coming to an end left fans utterly devastated, with many taking to Twitter to share their reaction

A third fan also tweeted: 'Oh Jane!! You'll be sorely missed on Channel 5! Looking forward to some new music and spectacular live shows instead.'

Among the upset fans was I'm A Celebrity star Adele Roberts, who left viewers in hysterics when she shared her obsession with Jane during her stint on the show in November.

Re-posting a fan who had shared her concern, she tweeted: 'Thank you for your thoughts and prayers everyone. But if there's one thing I know about Jane... she loves riding those waves.

'She only gets bigger and bigger and better! Can't wait to see what's next.' 

Sad news: Among the upset fans was I'm A Celebrity star Adele Roberts, who previously admitted she was a die-hard fan of Jane

Crui sing With Jane McDonald first aired in February 2017, and has gone onto run for a total of six series, with fans delighting in seeing the Wakefield singer explore various ships across the globe.

The show also won Channel 5 its first ever British Academy TV Award last year, which Jane proudly accepted.

She said: 'Oh flipping heck! That is so not… I just… no! I've even had this written for me because I thought ''There's no way we're winning that!''. Wow, it even says ''wow'' on here.' 

'My heart is beating so fast, I can't believe it!' she added.

Iconic: Cruising With Jane McDonald first aired in February 2017, and has gone onto run for a total of six series

 

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Tas Waist Bag Pria Outvin TL 521

Tas Waist Bag Pria Outvin TL 521

McDonald's is replacing its Happy Meal toys with non-plastic versions

McDonald's is cutting plastic toys from its Happy Meals and replacing them with non-plastic versions from 2021 to make them more environmentally friendly

Fast food chain is replacing them with a soft toy, a book, or a paper-based treat

Restaurant hopes it will save over 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic at UK business

Will begin trialing new toys from May where buyers will have option to swap

Also running 'toy amnesty' to let customers bring in unwanted plastic toys 

By Hayley Richardson For Mailonline

Published: 05:57 EDT, 17 March 2020 | Updated: 06:20 EDT, 17 March 2020

McDonald's is cutting its plastic toys from its Happy Meals in a bid to make them more environmentally friendly.

From 2021 the fast food chain will offer alternative soft or pa per-based toys or a book instead.

It is hoped the shift will save the restaurant's UK business more than 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic - the biggest single reduction to date.

In May, McDonald's will begin trialing its new toys, offering parents and children the option to swap their plastic giveaways for a non-plastic one. 

McDonald's is cutting its plastic toys from its Happy Meals (pictured) in a bid to make them more environmentally friendly

It will also run a 'toy amnesty' whereby customers can bring in unwanted plastic toys to one of its 1,350 sites in the UK.

The chain will melt down the plastic to make new toys for its charity in the UK and Ireland.

Gareth Helm, the company's chief marketing officer in the UK, said: 'We care passionately about the environment and are committed to redu cing plastic across our business including within our Happy Meal.

'Families have high expectations of us and we're working as hard as we can to give them the confidence that their Happy Meal is as sustainable as possible. 

The chain will also run a 'toy amnesty' whereby customers can bring in unwanted plastic toys to one of its 1,350 sites in the UK and it will melt down the plastic to make new toys for its charity

'Getting that right is a big responsibility, but we believe the changes we're making today have the potential to make a big difference.'  

McDonald's first introduced its Happy Meal in the US in 1979 - over 20 years after it was founded in 1955 - and since then the children's meal and toy has become a staple for the restaurant. 

In Australia last month, the chain introduced children's books with its Happy Me als. A series of 12, written by Cressida Cowell - author of How To Train Your Dragon - will be released throughout the year with the first two books already available. 

The Treetop Twins Wilderness Adventures series is written in cooperation with the Australian Federation of SPELD Associations (AUSPELD) who assist children and adults learning how to read. 

In the past, McDonald's has committed to reducing its emissions by 36 per cent by the end of the decade, and to use recycled or renewable materials in all its packaging by 2025

McDonald's, which is in 120 countries and has almost 38,000 global restaurants, hopes this will be its latest step in a master plan to curb its impact on the environment. 

In the past, it has committed to reducing its emissions by 36 per cent by the end of the decade, and to use recycled or renewable materials in all its packagi ng by 2025.

It has already removed the lids from its McFlurry ice creams - saving 385 tonnes of plastic - and replaced its salad boxes with ones that can be recycled as paper.

Last year the chain rolled-out paper straws to replace its plastic ones in drinks. 

THE MOST VALUABLE MCDONALD'S TOYS EVER

LoveAntiques.com previously worked with vintage toy expert Peter Jenkinson to reveal the 15 most valuable McDonald's toys, which are given away free with children's meals...

TY's Teenie Beanie Boos (2000) – These are much rarer than their toy shop equivalent a set could get you £338

Underwater Monsters (1979) – A set of these creepy creatures should fetch over £300

Robots by Diener Keshi (1979) – These are from the same range and can fetch anything up to £300

Power Rangers (1994) – If you find yourself a complete set of the heroes and vehicles and it's £263

Inspector Gadget (1995) – The half man, half robot fetches £263

Fraggle Rock (1992) – Set of four sold recently for £225

Mario (1994 and 1998) – The video gaming plumber and friends fetch over £187 for the set

101 Dalmatians (1996) – You'll be lucky to have all 101 toys but £165 is what they're worth

Snoopy (2000) – A set of the 50th anniversary toys aren't peanuts at £135

Furby (2000) – The clippable one. Creepy but costly – £90 each

Jerry the Minion (2013) - From Despicable Me 2 - £90

Potato Head kids (1987) – This set of offspring would bag you £75

Transforming Food (1987/1989) – Individual pieces can fetch up to £52 each

Clone Wars Happy Meal Box (2008) – The box, yes just the box could get you £37

Hot Wheels (1983) – Individually these cars from a set of 14 are worth £30 each

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MARY CHRISTMAS BEST TOY POODLE; 85 of Popular Breed Shown at Westminster Final Decision Among Seven Fourth in Row at Garden

Credit...The New York Times ArchivesSee the article in its original context from February 12, 1963, Section Sports, Page 8Buy Reprints

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Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through TimesMachine.

A toy poodle was in the spotlight in the first day's judging of the 87th annual Westminster Kennel Club's show yesterday. There were a total of 2,565 dogs representing 123 breeds competing for top honors in the canine world. The best-in-show selection will be made tonight. View Full Article in Timesmachine »

Top kid toys 2020: Cool toys for girls and boys

Looking for the top toys for boys and girls? It's not easy to always stay on top of the toys that kids are currently obsessing over — like, is slime still in fashion? It can be even harder to find the perfect gift that is not only unique and cute, but will also be entertaining and fun for hours. Luckily, after much research, CNET has determined which toys and gifts will be flying off the store shelves in 2020. These top toys will be sure to impress kids in every age group, from toddlers to tweens. 

Interactive animals, action figures, superheroes and the indelible madness that is a slime kit are still in demand this year, and LOL Surprise dolls and iconic brands like Playmobil and Lego remain top picks for cool toys. Fun, new tech toys like Osmo, Lumies and #Snapstar are must-haves for lots of kids. Star Wars is always a force to be reckoned with. And if it's action and adventure they're after, we have the latest scooter and some retro roller skates to choose from. 

Whether you're shopping for a birthday or for another special occasion, check out our list of the most popular and best toys to buy in 2020, and let us help you find the perfect gift for that special kiddo in your life. We have lots of great ideas and deals for you!

Amazon

If you've got a little one who loves unboxing toys and collecting little LOL Surprise dolls (which were the biggest toys of 2017), this is the ultimate treasure chest for them. The Amazing Surprise is a huge box that includes 14 exclusive dolls and over 70 unboxing surprises. Among the bounty are two fashion store play sets, two OMG fashion dolls, three LOL Surprise dolls, three boys, four pets and two Lils dolls. Plus all the teeny tiny accessories and clothes needed to annoy parents for the rest of the year. But it's almost certainly worth it for an unboxing of Surprise toys this massive. Best for ages 6 to 10.

Amazon

This toy is on the pricier side, but it'll knock the socks off your little Caped Crusader. The Transforming Batmobile goes from car to upright "Battle Mode" with the touch of a button and the remote control also drives the vehicle (it even spins!). The clincher? There's a projectile launcher.

Walmart

Frozen 2 has reinvigorated a love for all things snow queen! Which means this amazing Playmobil Crystal Palace is a surefire win. The royal family included in this set lives in a glittery, "gem"-filled palace that includes a cave with working lights (AAA batteries required). They even have interchangeable outfits, which change depending on the temperature. We love the detail in Playmobil sets, and this one is truly something special. Best for ages 4 to 10.

Amazon

Juno My Baby Elephant is pure fun. Best for ages 3 and up, this interactive toy can respond to kids with sound and movement, and learn tricks like "eating" and throwing her peanut. This fun toy for girls or boys also plays with a little mouse friend (included). Batteries not included.

Walmart

A transforming jet for superhero dogs? Yes please! Add this one to your toy list. Four-year-olds will love the coolest new "Paw Patrol" vehicle. The animated series now has Mighty Pups, wherein the beloved doggies have super powers. The Jet Command Center has all the high-end features (working lights! A launcher!), and comes with a mini jet and a Ryder figure, which shoot out of the Mighty Jet for maximum action.

Amazon

Any color this little odd-looking stuffed animal touches, it can mimic by glowing. Lumies also react to colors using over 100 different sounds and phrases, and they can create different kinds of music as a response to, say, a green rug or purple bedspread (as if your child isn't taking this to bed with her). Use the styling tool to create fabulously colorful hairdos to go with the sparkly unicorn horn on this plush toy.

Walmart

Legos are perfect for encouraging pretend play and fine motor skills. And the new Lego space shuttle building kit is one of the coolest toys around. Space-loving kids can build a research shuttle and a Mars rover. Solar panels? Check. Heli drone? It's here too. Grappling arm to retrieve geodes? Obviously. The set also includes two astronaut minifigures who will boldly complete your kid's mini missions to space.

Amazon

A Cry Babies Interactive Baby Doll is the ultimate interactive toy, and she's pretty popular thanks to her big eyes and adorable outfits. When you take Kristal's pacifier out of her mouth, she starts making real baby sounds, but sometimes she can get "sick." Kiddos can help her feel better by giving her "medicine" and lots of cuddles! The doll cries watery tears and her skin glows red. Use the glowing thermometer to measure Kristal's fever. Additional accessories include a syringe, which you can use to care for this doll until she's all better. AA batteries are included. Best for ages 3 and up.

Sarah Tew/CNET

This uber-popular game system from Nintendo is the fastest-selling home console in history. It's easy to see why: The Switch is both a home system and a handheld unit. There's a dock that connects to your TV at home, allowing for multiplayer gaming. Then you can take the tablet out of the dock and on the go! You can even share the controller and flip the stand to play with others while out and about. So much versatility in one unit. And fans will want to check out the Switch Lite, the smaller and more affordable ($199) handheld version that drops the TV-out support. Read our Nintendo Switch review.

Amazon

The coolest thing about Little Tikes' new kitchen is that it grows with your toddler. This collaboration with Tasty (the creators of yummy-looking recipe videos) starts out wide and low, but as your little one gets older, you can make the countertop higher. Other cool features include a phone holder so your budding Insta chefs can snap their creations (or watch cooking videos). 

Amazon

This interactive baby dragon from the makers of Hatchimals is a must for fans of the Dreamworks animated franchise How to Train Your Dragon. Baby Toothless is ready to make his debut right out of the box, as batteries are included. Kids will love watching their tiny Toothless poke his way out of the egg. And once he's out, the fun continues with "training." When he's tired out, put the little guy back into his egg base.

Target

Barbie and Cabbage Patch are so last century. Glamour gals will covet this red carpet setup for the #Snapstar doll Echo. The play set includes everything needed to make Echo's red carpet debut a snap. After her entrance, use the green screen and the free #Snapstar Studio app to create cool images. Best for ages 4 and up.

Amazon

This electric scooter is pricey, but it's also pretty rad, making it a top pick. The Razer Power A2 has an electric motor that kicks in once you start scooting -- kids can get up to 10 mph on this bad boy. And with a weight limit of 143 pounds, some adults can take it for a spin too. The lightweight scooter can fold up for easy transport, and acceleration happens with the push of a button; the throttle control is right there on the (adjustable) handle bar. Charge it up and your child can use the motor for up to 40 minutes before it needs a recharge. This is one seriously fun gift.

Amazon

Kids who collect tiny Hatchimals figurines will go nuts for this Mega Secret Surprise Egg. For good reason: There are more than 40 surprises inside this 9-inch purple egg, including 10 CollEGGtibles characters and a Pixie doll. Other fun treasures include lip gloss and stickers. The mystery is so enticing! Ideal for ages 5 to 7.

Walmart

A classic with a tech twist, the new Movin' Lips version of Mr. Potato Head will inspire giggles in kids ages 3 and up. Use more than 10 pieces to put your toy together, then watch Mr. Potato Head sing over 40 phrases and songs. Then of course, you can rearrange his face and do it again. We have to admit, he's pretty entertaining!

American Girl

American Girl's 2020 Girl of the Year is Joss Kendrick, an intrepid surfer girl who's not afraid of new challenges. Kids can read all about this new character's life in her first book (included with the doll). Best for ages 8 and up, the 18-inch doll has a soft cloth body and movable vinyl limbs. She comes with a zip-up hoodie, a pink swimsuit, a carrying case for her hearing aid, and more. Joss makes a great addition to any AG fan's collection. These are special (if pricey) dolls.

Amazon

Educational toys are the best toys. This cool new tech toy turns your iPad into a learning game for kids. They can manipulate the play pieces in problem-solving skills and games, making screen time educational. We love that Wi-Fi isn't necessary to play, and you can track your children's progress through an app. There's an Amazon Fire version available as well. Osmo is something parents and kids will both love.

Amazon

This is one of the best toys for girls and boys who love smashing things up in the kitchen. Treat those soon-to-be chefs to the new Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Popcorn Party set. Kids ages 3 and up can crank out squishy popcorn and fill the included buckets during playtime. Plus there are molds for making candy and cookie treats. Six cans of Play-Doh are included, plus the "popper" and lots of accessories.

Target

Fans are saying this is Hasbro's best Beyblade set ever, thanks to cool new designs. And your kid is likely to agree! If you haven't seen Beyblades, they're futuristic-looking spinning top toys that "battle" each other. The new Beyblade Burst Turbo set features a new battleground (ahem, "Beystadium") and six coveted tops, plus two launchers. For added virtual fun, you can scan the tops with the game's app and challenge friends online. There's even a bracket notepad included for battling pals in real life.

Amazon

Roller skates are in again! Circle Society makes the coolest skate styles, and they've got two new pairs from YouTube pop star JoJo Siwa, including this neon dream. We love that these skates can adjust from sizes 12 to 3, making them a good pick and a solid investment that'll last for years. Just push a button to adjust the sizing. Circle Society skates are durable and can be used indoors or out.

Walmart

YouTube star Ryan of Ryan's World doesn't just have a ton of followers, he also has his own toy line. The Super Surprise Safe includes over 30 little trinkets that kids can unbox. Use the key to open the safe and then smash, decode, push and open to get to the treasure (spoiler alert: it's figurines, stickers and slime). Perfect for developing motor skills and hand eye coordination. Best for ages 3 and up.

Walmart

Kids will love the modern design of the Bianca high-rise dollhouse. KidKraft's latest dollhouse has four stories, but a small footprint, making it a great space-saver. We love that dolls can take the elevator to the bottom floor to check out urban amenities like a coffee shop and yoga studio. Twenty-six accessories are included, and this dollhouse is best for ages 3 and up.

More toy and gift coverage at CNET

Originally published earlier.

All edie's Plastics Hub news

All stories powered by Mission Possible, edie's Plastics Hub is dedicated to the people, projects and initiatives that are solving the plastics problem.

McDonald's to ditch plastic Happy Meal toys

McDonald's UK and Ireland will remove plastic toys from its Happy Meals in 2021, after customers campaigned for plastic-free alternatives.

Aldi boss: We'll delist brands that don't act on plastics packaging

Aldi UK's chief executive Giles Hurley has written to suppliers of third-party brands, warning that they will be delisted unless they align with the supermarket's 2025 plastics packaging commitments.

Iceland slashes plastics packaging by almost one-third in two years

Iceland has posted an update to its commitment to remove all plastics from own-label product packaging by 2023, revealing that it now uses 29% less plastics in these applications than it did in 2018.

Starbucks trials compostable paper cups, places ban on reusables due to coronavirus

Starbucks has announced it will trial the use of recyclable and compostable paper cups in the UK, but has placed a ban on customers using personal re-usable cups due to concerns over the coronavirus.

Lifecycle approach required: Government's plastics policies could triple UK packaging emissions

The UK Government's ban on unnecessary single-use plastics could inadvertently triple the carbon emissions associated with packaging, unless policies are introduced to prioritise an "overall need to use less material" and to improve the energy efficiency associated with material production and recycling.

In numbers: The public's attitudes to plastics recycling and plastic-free packaging

As WRAP launches a new public awareness campaign on the recyclability and reusability of plastic packaging, edie explores the key behavioural barriers hampering a potentially circular economy for the material.

Plastic Leak Project launched to measure plastic pollution across corporate value chains

A new science-based metric has been produced by a range of public, private and scientific stakeholders that will enable businesses to conduct plastic leakage assessments to identify hotspot areas to combat the amount of plastic seeping into the natural environment.

Just Eat trials plastic-free takeaway boxes lined with seaweed

Just Eat will trial compostable takeaway boxes lined with seaweed at select London restaurants, a move which will prevent around 3,600 plastic boxes from entering the waste stream.

Lidl to use 'ocean-bound' plastics in seafood packaging

Lidl will begin incorporating "ocean-bound" plastics in packaging used to house 13 of its seafood lines next month, in what it claims is a first for a UK supermarket.

Arsenal saves half a million single-use plastic cups from landfill

Friends of the Earth has called on sporting venues across the UK to promote reusable cup use, after Arsenal FC revealed that a scheme introduced at the Emirates Stadium has prevented more than half a million single-use plastic cups from being discarded.

P&G signs deal for 200 million bottles' worth of recycled plastic

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has signed a deal to source 200 million bottles' worth of recycled plastic over the next five years, as it strives to halve the amount of virgin plastics it uses by 2030.

Lego to ditch virgin fossil plastics by 2030

Lego has vowed to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastics from its products within a decade, by investing heavily in recycled and bio-based materials.

Iceland trials swathes of plastic-free packaging for fruit and veg

Iceland is set to trial plastic-free and low-plastic packaging across 38 of its fruit and vegetable lines, in a step towards its ambition for all own-brand lines to be free from single-use plastics by 2023.

From measurement to action: Five best-practice lessons on going plastic-free

Having taken place on 16 January, edie's Plastic-Free Power Hour webinar included a collection of best-practice examples of sector-leading organisations taking control of their plastics-use - and delivering real organisational change. Here, we reflect on the key takeaways from the session.

Seven top tips for driving behaviour change in the fight against single-use plastics

Changing behaviours is widely regarded as one of the most important, yet difficult, pieces of the plastics puzzle. Here, edie rounds up seven top tips for delivering a plastics strategy that engages all key stakeholders and delivers lasting impacts in the wake of the 'Blue planet 2 effect'.

Glasgow to phase-out single-use plastics within two years

Glasgow City Council has approved new measured to reduce plastic use across the local area, headlined by a commitment to phase-out single-use items by 2022.

Fishing for Plastic: Asda helps seafood suppliers collect ocean plastic pollution

Asda has unveiled plans to equip all of its seafood suppliers' boats with equipment that will enable workers to collect plastic pollution while bringing in the catch.

Tesco teams up with Heinz to scrap plastic packaging on tin multipacks

Tesco has announced plans to scrap all tin multipacks housed in plastic shrinkwrap, in a move that will mitigate the use of 67 million pieces of plastic annually.

Accor and AB InBev vow to phase-out single-use plastics

Global hotelier Accor has committed to remove all single-use plastics from guest-facing operations by 2022, in the same week that brewer AB InBev's Brazilian subsidiary pledged to end plastic pollution from its packaging by 2025.

Bold targets and lifecycle assessments: Experts outline key drivers to combat single-use plastics

Sustainability experts from Sky, Surfdome and Nestlé have outlined how bold aspirations that target problematic plastics through the broader view of climate change can help spur the private sector towards a circular economy.

Businesses not examining carbon impact of plastics alternatives, edie survey finds

An edie survey of almost 300 sustainability and resource professionals has found that almost 50% of businesses haven't examined the carbon impact of single-use plastics alternatives, amidst growing calls for businesses to intertwine actions on plastics and climate change.

Inside Lucozade Ribena Suntory's plastics strategy

EXCLUSIVE: As its parent company strives to eliminate virgin fossil-fuel-based plastics from its packaging portfolio across Europe by 2030, Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) has provided edie with an exclusive, deeper dive into its plastics strategy.

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: edie and Nestlé's plastics deep dive

The Sustainable Business Covered podcast returns for 2020, with edie bringing you exclusive interviews with Sky, Tideway, the University of Leeds and episode sponsors Nestlé for an episode dedicated to tackling single-use plastics.

Available on-demand: Watch all three sessions of edie's single-use plastics online event

Sustainability experts from Sky, Nestlé, Eurostar, Canary Wharf Group and Surfdome all discussed the role of businesses in collaborating, innovating and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics, as part of an online event that is now available to watch on-demand.

Inside Henkel's plastics packaging strategy

EXCLUSIVE: Henkel's international director of packaging technology Thorsten Leopold has outlined how and why the company developed its three-pronged plastics strategy, and how the framework's targets have helped the multinational take plastic action "beyond its own four walls".

Asda to pilot packaging-free, refillable versions of popular groceries

Asda will begin trialling packaging-free, refillable versions of some of its most popular products in May, the supermarket has confirmed today (16 January).

Nestlé commits £1.6bn to food-grade recycled plastics, pledges to cut virgin plastics use by a third

Food and beverage giant Nestlé has committed £1.59bn to source food-grade recycled plastics to be used in its packaging, alongside a pledge to cut the amount of virgin plastics it sources by a third.

Report: One in five UK businesses not motivated by environmental impact of plastics

Keep Britain Tidy and Brita UK have called on UK businesses to explore behaviour change and staff engagement initiatives to accelerate action on single-use plastics, after their survey found that 20% of businesses are 'not at all' motivated by the environmental impacts of the plastics they use.

edie launches best-practice guide for businesses tackling single-use plastics

edie has launched a new report, sponsored by Nestlé, that outlines the steps businesses can and should take to identify, reduce, replace and eliminate single-use plastics from their operations, supply chains and products and services.

Single-use plastics: The 2020 roadmap for sustainable business

It's been one of the biggest sustainable business issues of the past decade: tackling the scourge of single-use plastics. In 2018-19, the so-called "Attenborough effect" gave this issue the mainstream attention it deserved, and thousands of businesses duly began to ramp up their efforts to eliminate single- use plastics from their operations and the supply chain.

A Plastic Planet: It's time for activism on climate change and plastics to collide

EXCLUSIVE: The surge in climate activism in recent months has not served to stop the so-called "war-on-plastics", but to lay the foundations for holistic action on both issues by businesses and the public alike, activist and entrepreneur Sian Sutherland has argued.

Colgate launches recyclable plastic toothpaste tube

Colgate Palmolive has launched a new vegan-friendly toothpaste range packaged in a first-of-its-kind recyclable plastic tube, with the technology set to be shared with competitor brands.

Naked products and take-back schemes: How are businesses designing their way out of single-use plastics?

To mark edie's Plastics Week of content dedicated to helping businesses design their way out of single-use plastics, this round-up features the innovative ways that business giants have started to turn the tide on plastics waste.

Pragmatism and pouch recycling: How Little Freddie is navigating the war on plastics as a challenger brand

EXCLUSIVE: With action on plastics packaging from governments and big businesses proving too slow for the public's liking, there is an opportunity for challenger brands to act more rapidly.

Plastics packaging phase-outs leading to environmental consequences, report warns

A new report from the Green Alliance has shown the companies are under "considerable and justified pressure" to move away from single-use plastics, often at the expense of carbon impacts and recyclability of alternative materials.

Plastics Week: edie launches content campaign to help business eliminate single-use plastics

Running from 13-17 January, edie's Mission Possible Plastics Week includes exclusive interviews, podcasts, reports, webinars and in-depth feature articles – all dedicated to turning the tide on single-use plastics.

Single-use plastics: Two weeks left to register for free online event

Registration is now open for an afternoon of live, interactive webinar presentations and discussions from companies such as Eurostar, Nestlé and Sky on Thursday 16 January - all dedicated to helping businesses collaborate, innovate and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics.

Mars and Nestle spearhead chemicals recycling scheme for plastics

Mars and Nestlé have teamed up with packaging solutions firm Citeo, energy giant Total and recycling technology provider Recycling Technologies to develop an industrial chemical recycling process for plastic packaging in France.

Food-to-go giants support Dubai Airport's ban on single-use plastics

A string of big-name food-to-go brands including McDonalds, Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger have unveiled plastic-free offerings to be piloted at Dubai Airport next month, as part of the airport's commitment to eliminate single-use plastics.

Whitbread to remove 'unnecessary' single-use plastics from premises by 2025

Hospitality firm Whitbread has pledged to rid all 800 of its UK hotels and restaurants of unnecessary single-use plastics by 2025, and has called on other UK firms to do the same.

Coca-Cola to replace plastic shrink wrap with paper packaging across Europe

Coca-Cola and its European bottling partners will remove shrink wrap from its can multipacks, to be replaced with a €15m (£12.8m) investment into a paper-based packaging solution by the end of 2021.

Progress over perfection: Can McDonald's design its way out of single-use plastics?

McDonald's vice president of global sustainability Keith Kenny has claimed that the consumer-facing business needs to couple lifecycle analysis of its packaging with consumer demands in order to phase-out plastics in a secure way and without impacting customer experience.

McDonald's ditches plastic McFlurry and drinks lids across Europe

McDonald's has announced a range of new trials and pilots to remove single-use plastics and improve recyclability, including the removal of plastic McFlurry lids across Europe, the introduction of renewable fibre lids in France and a toy take-back scheme in the UK.

High-street chains sign up to refill pilot to reduce single-use plastic packaging

A host of high-street food and drink retailers, including LEON, Asda, Waitrose and Costa have joined a new pilot offering refillable options for commodities such as water, coffee, groceries and toiletries, in a bid to cut down on the amount of single-use plastic purchased by consumers.

Just Eat and Unilever brand Hellmann's to reduce plastics through seaweed sachet trials

Just Eat has partnered with Unilever brand Hellmann's to trial sauce sachets made of seaweed in an attempt to reduce single-use plastics.

Tesco to remove one billion plastic pieces from products by end of 2020

Tesco will remove one billion pieces of plastic from products sold in UK stores, including ready meal trays, straws from drinks cartons and packaging for clothing and greeting cards, by the end of 2020.

Redesign, collaborate and collect: Inside Coca-Cola European Partner's plastics strategy

EXCLUSIVE: Coca-Cola European Partners' (CCEP) vice president of sustainability, Joe Franses, looks across the company's four-pillar sustainable packaging roadmap to outline how collection, redesign and removal can ensure that all its packaging is collected and reused.

P&G to more than double recycled plastic content for home cleaning brands in Europe

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has announced it will more than double the amount of recycled plastic used in its packaging for domestic cleaning brands such as Fairy and Flash in Europe by 2020.

Business giants making 'promising' progress in tackling plastic waste

Over the last 12 months, some of the world's biggest businesses have made "promising" progress in efforts to eliminate single-use plastics and transition to a circular economy, according to a new report which revealed that pledges to increase recycled plastic in packaging have grown five-fold.

SC Johnson to improve recycling infrastructure in developing nation to combat ocean plastics

SC Johnson has partnered with economic development firm Plastic Bank to upscale access to recycling infrastructure in developing regions and leverage blockchain technology to stop plastic waste from entering into oceans while improving economic and social outlooks for communities.

Paper Bottle Community: Is this the beginning of the end for the single-use plastic bottle?

EXCLUSIVE: Following the launch of Carlsberg's paper bottle prototypes, edie explores how Coca-Cola, The Absolut Company and L'Oréal are joining the brewer to scale-up paper-based solutions that replace or rival single-use plastic bottles.

Lego launches reuse platform for old plastic bricks

The Lego Group has announced the launch of a pilot programme that will see the company partner with recycling charity Give Back Box to enable consumers to donate old lego bricks to be redistributed to children's non-profits in the US.

Unilever to halve use of virgin plastic and collect more plastic packaging than it sells by 2025

Unilever has announced it will halve its use of virgin plastic by 2025 by reducing plastic packaging by more than 100,000 tonnes, increasing the amount of recycled plastics it uses and collecting and processing more plastic packaging than it sells.

Coca-Cola unveils drinks bottle made from recycled ocean plastics

Coca-Cola has unveiled sample bottles consisting of 25% recycled marine plastics, as the company ramps up efforts to improve the recyclability and collection of its products in Western Europe.

SC Johnson on track to make all plastic packaging closed-loop by 2025

US-based consumer goods firm SC Johnson's latest sustainability report has revealed the company is on target to meet its 2025 targets for plastic and recycling, Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy, with 94% of the firm's plastic packaging now recycle, reusable or compostable.

Coca-Cola to replace plastic shrink wrap across can multipacks sold in Great Britain

Europe's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler has announced it will end the use of shrink-wrapped plastics across all can multipacks it sells in Great Britain, in a move that will replace plastic used on 30 million packs annually with sustainably sourced cardboard.

PepsiCo's latest packaging commitment targets 35% reduction in plastic use by 2025

Global beverage firm PepsiCo has announced plans to reduce the use of virgin plastic across its portfolio by 35% by 2025, which will eliminate around 2.5 million metric tonnes of the material from circulation.

Marriott International expands phase-out of single-use toiletry bottles

Hotelier Marriott International has announced the expansion of an initiative to replace single-use toiletry bottles with large pump-topped alternatives, in a move that could prevent more than 500 million plastic items being discarded.

Aldi to replace plastic sleeves on tinned tuna multipacks

Aldi has announced it will remove all plastic packaging on its multipacks of tinned tuna, which could save more than 11 tonnes of plastic annually if rolled out nationwide.

Sainsbury's to accept glass in deposit return trials for bottles

Sainsbury's has revealed that it will trial a reverse vending machine in England that will accept both glass and plastic bottles.

Hasbro to 'eliminate' plastics from new product packaging by 2022

US toy firm Hasbro has set a two-year window to phase out virtually all plastic from product packaging for new products, with a deadline set for the end of 2022.

Edible drinks bottles backed by Government funding

Oohos, the edible, plastic-free packaging capsules trialled by companies such as Lucozade Ribena Suntory, have received more than £300,000 in Government funding that will help boost daily manufacturing outputs.

Iceland to trial UK's first major plastic-bag-free store

Frozen food retailer Iceland is trailing the removal of all plastic bags from one of its stores, replacing them altogether with "extra-strong" paper bags.

Inside Kimberly-Clark's plastics packaging strategy

EXCLUSIVE: Kimberly-Clark's global sustainability lead for products and packaging Daniel Locke has outlined how the company is "revamping" its resource management ambitions as consumer pressure for plastic packaging reductions mounts.

Unilever: Innovation is the 'cornerstone' to plastics reduction

EXCLUSIVE: Product and systems innovations will be a "key cornerstone" in meeting Unilever's five-point plastics reduction strategy, which champions behaviour change and total phase-outs where possible alongside incremental reductions.

Survey: Almost half of UK SMEs failing to act on single-use plastics

A major survey of more than 1,000 UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) has found while the majority of businesses understand the importance of reducing single-use plastics, 40% are yet to carry out basic measures to reduce plastic waste.

Aldi to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs

Aldi could save more than 900 tonnes of plastic each year, after announcing trials to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs at 174 stores across the UK.

Fujitsu to phase out plastic cups, straws, bottles and bags

Multinational IT equipment and services giant Fujitsu has unveiled a sweeping new set of plastics reduction pledges, covering bags, drinks bottles, cups, straws and other packaging.

Keurig Dr Pepper sets sweeping new plastics packaging targets

US-based food and beverage giant Keurig Dr Pepper has committed to making 100% of its plastic packaging recyclable or compostable by 2025, as part of a new corporate responsibility strategy.

The Big Business Plastics Debate (Part One): Are we throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Over two days at edie Live 2019, sustainability and resource efficiency experts from across the country gathered for the Big Plastics Debate - a live, on-stage panel discussion about the drivers, challenges and opportunities behind eliminating single-use plastics. Here, we summarise the first part of what was a highly provocative discussion.

One year on: How has WRAP's UK Plastics Pact changed corporate approaches to single-use plastic?

Last April, a coalition of 42 businesses jointly committed to make unnecessary single-use plastic packaging "a thing of the past". Here, edie rounds up the impact that this commitment, made as part of WRAP's Plastic Pact, has had on resource management.

Insight, inspiration and innovation continue into final day of edie Live 2019

Members of the UK's sustainability and energy management communities have descended upon the NEC in their thousands, with sessions at full capacity throughout the first day of edie Live 2019 and the action now set continue into the second and final day (22 May).

edie Live 2019: Green ambitions to be turned into ACTION as show doors open

Thousands of energy, CSR sustainability professionals are descending upon the NEC Birmingham today (21 May) as edie Live 2019 officially opens its doors - and there's still time to register for a free two-day pass to the conference.

Bioreefs and plastic-free periods: Waitrose announces winners of £1m plastic challenge

A "bioreef" of mussels, an initiative that tackles ghost fishing gear and a behaviour change campaign that reduces plastic pollution from period products are among the winners of Waitrose & Partners' £1m plastic pollution innovation challenge.

Inside P&G's plastics packaging strategy

EXCLUSIVE: Procter & Gamble's principal scientist and packaging technologist, Gian De Belder, has outlined the company's five-pillar approach to improving the recyclability of its packaging through science-based studies and "Holy Grail" collaborative projects.

edie's Mission Possible campaign evolves with launch of dedicated Plastics Hub microsite

edie's Plastics Hub a content-driven campaign that will support sustainability and resource efficiency professionals on our collective mission to eliminate single-use plastics - has a new home on the Mission Possible microsite.

TerraCycle: Recycling alone won't tackle 'root cause' of plastics waste crisis

EXCLUSIVE: Despite creating a business model built on offerings of recycling solutions to solving the world's plastic pollution crisis, TerraCycle's general manager for Europe claims it will only ever form part of any closed-loop system.

Asda removes 6,500 tonnes of plastic from own-brand packaging

UK supermarket Asda has removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging over the last 12 months, the equivalent weight of around 600 million empty plastic bottles.

Turning ambition into action: edie Live returns for 2019 with host of new features

Collaborative workshops, a dedicated Plastics Hub and a Future Systems Hackathon are just some of the exciting new features that will be available edie Live 2019 as the UK's largest sustainability and energy exhibition returns to the NEC Birmingham on 21-22 May.

Eurostar turns to phase-outs and recycled content to lower plastics footprint

High-speed rail service Eurostar will phase-out plastic water bottles from its business lounges during 2019, in a move that will reduce the organisation's plastics footprint by more than 100,000 bottles annually.

Shell's green energy plan and edie's Plastics Hub: The sustainability success stories of January 2019

As the first month of 2019 comes to a close, edie rounds up some of the most-read sustainability stories and standout pieces of content from the past 31 days - from Shell's decision to boost its investment in low-carbon technologies, to the launch of edie's own Mission Possible Plastics Hub.

Business models for UK fashion industry unsustainable, MPs warn

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has today (31 January) criticised major fashion retailers, including Sports Direct, Amazon and Missguided, for "failing to take action" to protect workers and promote environmental sustainability.

In numbers: The global extent of marine plastic pollution

New research into the extent of the world's plastics pollution problem, which lays bare the environmental consequences of plastic waste entering oceans and waterways, has just been published. Here, edie rounds up the key facts and figures.

Thinkathons and Hackathons: How new ways of thinking could solve the plastics problem

With awareness of plastic pollution at an all-time high, the onus is now on corporates to harness young and creative minds in innovative ways to solve the issue. Could 'Hackathons' and 'Thinkathons' hold the key?

Top 10 tips to eliminate single-use plastics from your business

During a plastic-themed webinar late last week, representatives from Sky, Cranswick, Aquafil and A Plastic Planet gave their advice for professionals looking to eliminate single-use plastics from their organisations. Here, edie rounds up their key takeaways.

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Advancing the plastics debate with Waitrose and Co-op

As part of a week of action on single-use plastics and the launch of edie's Plastics Hub, the Sustainable Business Covered podcast returns for 2019 with exclusive, plastic-focused interviews with sustainability experts at the Co-op, Surfers Against Sewage and Waitrose.

Highland Spring rolls out UK's first 100% recycled water bottle

Scottish water brand Highland Spring has confirmed that it will make the UK's first water bottle made with 100% recycled plastic a permanent part of its range, following a successful trial.

Bubble barriers and 'naked' shampoo: Six of the best innovations for tackling plastics pollution

Following the launch of our Mission Possible Plastics Hub this week, edie has rounded up some of the ground-breaking innovations which could help businesses and nations ramp up their efforts to tackle the perils of plastic pollution, once and for all.

Lord Deben: Corporate action on plastic to 'evolve' beyond packaging

EXCLUSIVE: After two years of awareness-building and action on packaging sustainability, businesses must now approach the plastic waste crisis as a whole-systems issue, Committee on Climate Change (CCC) chairman Lord Deben has argued.

edie opens applications for 'Plastics Thinkathon' at Sustainability Leaders Forum

Sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals are being called upon to help businesses collectively solve the problem of plastics pollution by taking part in a unique 'Plastics Thinkathon' on the sidelines of edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum in London next month.

Business giants commit $1bn to launch Alliance to End Plastic Waste

Major companies from across the plastics value chain, including Procter & Gamble (P&G), Veolia and ExxonMobil, have today (16 January) committed more than $1bn (£777m) as part of a new alliance aimed at eliminating plastic waste in the environment.

Nestlé set to launch its first plastic-free packaging in 2019

Food and beverage giant Nestlé has published a sweeping string of new sustainable packaging commitments, including plans for its first plastic-free packaging, and achieving 'plastic-neutrality'.

Ocean Rescue: How Sky's plastics campaign has ignited a wave of transformation

EXCLUSIVE: Two years on from the launch of its global campaign to educate and inspire the public and businesses to phase-out single-use plastics, Sky's head of Sky Ocean Rescue Fiona Ball sits down with edie to discuss the transformational impacts the project has had both inside and outside of the company.

In depth: How are businesses performing against their plastic pledges?

Over the last two years, some the world's largest businesses have made ambitious new commitments to eliminating single-use plastics. Here, edie rounds up what progress some of these businesses have made to date.

edie launches Mission Possible Plastics Hub to help businesses solve plastic pollution

edie has today (15 January) launched the Mission Possible Plastics Hub - a brand-new, content-driven campaign that will support sustainability and resource efficiency professionals on our collective mission to eliminate single-use plastics.

From Sky to Unilever: 30 companies post plastic pledges on edie's Mission Possible Pledge Wall

EXCLUSIVE: As edie's dedicated week of business action on plastics waste launches, we can reveal that 30 businesses from across the country have committed an array of bold plastic-related pledges to edie's virtual Mission Possible Plastics Hub, with more to come.

A Plastic Planet: Businesses must do more than recycle to stay relevant

EXCLUSIVE: In an era of unprecedented consumer demand for plastic-free packaging and products, companies making their offerings recyclable are no longer doing enough - they must radically transform their business models to stay relevant and retain consumer trust.