Ruling on cartoon characters on food containers and cups
Question

                I have my daughter who has cartoon characters on her drinking cups, packed lunch box etc... Is this permmited?.
Praise be to Allah.
      The pictures that are found on drinking cups and food 
      containers do not come under the ruling on images that are forbidden, 
      because these are items that are used and abused, but it is better to 
      avoid these vessels and containers so that the child will not become 
      attached to cartoon pictures and symbols. Some children become very fond 
      of a particular image that they want to have on their bags, pencil cases 
      and cups, but this has a negative impact on the child and makes him fond 
      of imaginary characters whose conduct is not free of things that are 
      forbidden in Islam. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti‘ 
    (2/206): It has become very common nowadays to have pictures on almost 
    everything, so these pictures are found on plates and dishes, food 
    containers, in books and magazines; they found in everything except what 
    Allah wills (should remain free of them), and there are also images that are 
    eaten, such as biscuits in the shape of fish or rabbits. 

    We say: Keeping them because of the pictures or images in 
    them is undoubtedly haraam. Buying magazines in which pictures are published 
    for the sake of the pictures is also haraam, but if it is for knowledge or 
    information or to read the news, then we hope that there is nothing wrong 
    with that, because of difficulty (in avoiding it completely). Allah, may He 
    be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “and [Allaah] has not 
    laid upon you in religion any hardship” [al-Hajj 22:78]. These images 
    are not what the person is seeking when he buys it and he does not care 
    about them. This is also the case with regard to dishes and plates and food 
    containers and the like. And it may be said that they are treated with some 
    level of disrespect so they do not come under the category that is haraam. 
    End quote. 

    And Allah knows best.