‘Adults buying kids toys to escape global turmoil’

Toy sales have fallen for a third year in a row as family budgets are squeezed – but adults are buying childhood favourites to escape their troubles, research suggests.

A falling birth rate, the cost of living and fewer big hit film franchises have combined to push the value of sales down 3% on the previous year.

But sales to so-called kidults have grown, with one in five toys and games now bought by over-18s for themselves, according to toy industry research group Circana.

It suggests adults are buying Lego and collectibles for their “positive mental health benefits as they spark nostalgia and bring escapism from global turmoil”, said Melissa Symonds, executive director of UK toys at Circana.

The Toy Retailers’ Association has unveiled its annual list of 20 products its expects to sell well this Christmas. The DreamToys list is compiled by a panel of retailers and experts.

Alongside some familiar names on the list, such as Hot Wheels cars and a Paw Patrol bulldozer, there are toys clearly aimed at a range of age groups.

For youngsters, a Fart Blaster makes the kind of noise its name suggests, while a McLaren F1 car Lego set is probably targeting an older audience.

Transport remains the most popular theme among toys, according to Circana, but animals now sit in second, with interactive pets becoming increasingly popular. These dolls now asked to be stroked and played with, and can repeat words.

With family finances stretched, the price range of the 20 toys on the list has dropped to between £9.99 and £89.99.

The UK toy industry had sales of £3.4bn in the year to September, according to Circana.

The sector is now entering the crucial festive period with six weeks to go to Christmas, as retailers concentrate on Black Friday and encouraging people into physical stores as well as visiting their websites in the run-up to 25 December.

Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday, which is generally seen as a benefit to shops. However, the Toy Retailers Association said sellers faced cost pressures on the future owing to the employers National Insurance rise announced in the Budget.

Sales of toys and games saw a big lift during Covid as more families spent time at home during lockdowns, but sales have fallen since 2021, and currently sit just below 2019 levels, according to Circana.

It said the average price of a toy last December was £12.95, while more than six times that amount was typically spent on toys for children aged up to 10 at Christmas.