Greenpeace Takes Away Kids’ Toys: Lego to Stop Giveaways at Shell Stations Due to Arctic Drilling Protests

Lego will not renew a partnership that involves giving away toys to Shell gas-station customers after months of protests by Greenpeace over the the oil company’s plans to drill on the Alaskan coast.

Earlier this year, Greenpeace launched a campaign against Lego over its affiliation with Shell, flooding the toy company with a million e-mails, producing a video involving Legos reenacting an oil spill, and mounting public demonstrations outside various Shell headquarters.

Since 2011, Lego has given away toy sets to customers who buy a certain amount of fuel at Shell stations across 30 countries. But now, Lego Group CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp says won’t renew the deal when it comes to an end in 2016 because he’s “determined to leave a positive impact on society and the planet that children will inherit.” Knudstorp did criticize Greenpeace for involving Lego in the controversy, rather than raising its objections directly with Shell.

Greenpeace applauded the announcement, calling the loss of free plastic toys a “major blow to Shell.” Shell has delayed its plans to drill on the Arctic Coast in Alaska over the past two years due to weather conditions, and has not yet finalized plans for 2015.