Depends on if they are still coloring the plastic or not. Color is a huge pain in the ass to get correct and consistent from batch to batch. It is one of the most carefully quality controlled aspects, because if your products are all lined up, you want them to all look the same on the shelf. Color absolutely matters in production.

So if they are just leaving the dye out, that can be a large cost saving measure, if they are dyeing it beige or whatever, then it is just a different color palette (which browns and whites are usually easier to keep consistent than greens, reds, and blacks). But overall it is probably more rooted in beige mom aesthetics.

Which is silly, because one of the reasons you have colored toys is because supposedly it helps stimulate brain development. Though all of that 'science' has changed since I took psych so idk these days.

I wouldn't think so either tbh, but idk, I might be to far removed from suburban ideology cause it makes as much sense to me.