Film franchises are expected to do big business in the toy market this Christmas according to a panel of experts.
The Toys Retailers Association, a panel of leading toy retailers in the UK including Argos, Boots, Selfridges, Smyths Toys, The Entertainer, TK Maxx and Toys R Us, has said strong entertainment brands and more traditional play according are going to be top of children’s Christmas lists this year.
Star Wars products, linked to the blockbuster movie The Force Awakens due to hit cinemas on December 18, are amongst top sellers this year, with three products making the retailers’s dream list. These include a bladebuilder jedi master lightsaber (£50), a LEGO Kylo Ren shuttle (£100), and a miniature millenium Falcon (£120).
Other blockbusters franchise products such as sing-a-long Elsa doll from Disney’s animated movie Frozen (£39), already very popular last year, as well as an interactive Thunderbird playset (£80) will also be amongst favourite according to experts.
But a more traditional IDO3D craft (£40) design studio that can create 3D drawings has also made the list.
“While the blockbuster licenses may steal the headlines, it is exciting to see innovation throughout the list with manufactures successfully combining this with traditional play in, for example, the IDO3D craft set, and Shopkins has become the new craze of the year, embracing all that is good about toys,” Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys committee, said.
The British toy industry is hoping for a record year with Frozen and Minions films as well as computer game Minecraft boosting sales by 6 per cent since the beginning of the year.
“With other licensed merchandise such as Star Wars still to come, the market could expect to grow by over £100 million at retail to reach £3.2 billion by the end of the year,” said Frederique Tutt Toys Global Industry Analyst.
New research from Barclays has also revealed confidence is high in the retail sector as the Christmas period approaches.
More than three quarters of retailers reported that they are more confident about Christmas trading this year , and nearly 80 per cent expect revenue to increase.
