The British toy industry has hit a ten-year growth high, with item sales volume up 17% in the months leading up to October. Families facing cost-of-living challenges are prioritizing low-cost purchases, fueling sharp growth in items retailing between £5 and £10. Market research shows connected toys now account for under 1% of sales as parents pivot toward interactive board games and family activities. Furthermore, older buyers are reinforcing the market, with adult-targeted toy sales surging by 22% in the first half of the year.
Key points
Retailers anticipate peak holiday shopping volumes to reach an average of 23 toys sold ev…: Retailers anticipate peak holiday shopping volumes to reach an average of 23 toys sold every second.
Connected toys represent less than 1% of sales as shoppers deliberately move away from sc…: Connected toys represent less than 1% of sales as shoppers deliberately move away from screen-heavy technology.
Industry experts urge shoppers to buy through reputable sellers to maintain safety while…: Industry experts urge shoppers to buy through reputable sellers to maintain safety while navigating seasonal purchases.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
Traditional games and stickers are helping to drive a bumper year for toy sales, figures show.
The data comes ahead of the crucial Christmas run-in for retailers, which peaks at 23 toys sold every second in the UK.
The number of toys sold up to October was 17% higher than the same period last year and growth is at a 10-year high, according to research company Circana.
The increase comes despite consumers' cost-of-living pressures, and there are signs that some of the biggest growth in sales is for toys priced between £5 and £10.
Despite relatively low sales in recent years, the toy sector has been buoyed by sales to "kidults".
The kidult market - which is toys and games for those aged over 12 - has been growing, particularly as adults buy toys for themselves.
This growth has continued with a 22% increase in the value of sales in the first half of the year.
But Melissa Symonds, UK toys director at Circana, said that toys for children - which still represents the majority of sales -…
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