In the July 2024 issue of Toy World, Circana’s Melissa Symonds looked at the contribution that sports-related toy sales have on the UK market.
The start of 2024 has been another challenging period for the UK Toy market. Sales YTD May 2024 are down -4%, representing a decline of £20m in value, while volume is down by 4m units compared to same period last year. The Dolls and Infant/Toddler & Preschool Toys categories have seen the steepest declines.
However, May was slightly more positive, with sales up +1% in value for the month – the first monthly growth outside of Easter-related movement since January 2023. While six out of 11 Supercategories grew in May, one of the key reasons for the strong May performance is that Outdoor and Sports Toys had an encouraging month. The brief burst of sunshine during May meant that Water/Sand Toys and Water Blasters enjoyed double digit growth – as did Pools and Playground Equipment, with Trampolines performing particularly well.
The weather can make or break the summer months, with Outdoor and Sports Toys traditionally dominating sales from May to August. This year there is additional support for Sports-related items from the Euro-Championship Football Tournament in June and July, plus the Olympics in Paris.
Overall, Sports-related toys and licences have sold £57m in the last twelve months, up +30% or +£13m from two years ago, just slightly behind the growth of Video Game related sales. World Soccer is the largest property within the Sports sub-category, accounting for two-thirds of sales YTD May 2024.
To continue reading Melissa’s insights within the July issue, click here.
