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☆ Adults are flocking to the toy aisle even more than preschoolers
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Looking back over a longer period, the report said as many as 43% of adults purchased a toy for themselves in the past year, with the top reasons being for personal fun, socialization and for collecting. Trading cards, Squishmallows (which are a rage across age groups), Lego sets and sports toys were among the most sought-after toy products in the period, the report said. As adults play with toys more and more, the trend bodes well to counter the decline in overall toy sales. Circana said toy industry dollar sales declined by 1% through April, versus the same period a year ago but are still up 38% compared to 2019. “Tailwinds, like the growing adult toy market and spending power of higher income households and grandparents, drive positive trends,” Juli Lennett, vice president and toy industry advisor at Circana, said in the report.

Persons: Circana, “, Juli Lennett, Barbie, Aaron Lavinsky, ”, James Zahn, ” Zahn Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Consumers, Star Tribune, Getty, CNN, Marvel, Hasbro, Star Locations: New York, ‘

☆ Consumers are stressed. It could be showing in how we bought toys in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Consumers bought fewer toys in all of 2023, including during the key Christmas toy-buying period, showing that households continue to pare back on discretionary products. But toy sales in all of 2023 dropped 8%, both in dollar terms (how much consumers paid for toys) and in unit sales (meaning how many toys consumers bought). This shows that shoppers bought fewer toys but also traded down in prices to cheaper toys. “While 2023 was a challenging year for the U.S. toy industry, the four-year compound annual growth rate remains positive,” she said. Among the toys that consumers did buy in 2023, Pokémon, Barbie and Squishmallows were the top three best-selling brands last year, according to Circana.

Persons: pare, Circana, ”, Juli Lennett, Lennett, I’ve, “, ” Lennett, ” Jon Copestake, EY, ” Copestake, ” Robby Pettinato, Joy, ” Pettinato, Toy Joy, “ Anecdotally, “ That’s, it’s, Pettinato, Barbie, Squishmallows, Price, Melissa, Doug, – CNN’s Alicia Wallace, Katie Lobosco Organizations: New, New York CNN — Consumers, Commerce Department, Hasbro, Wild, Inc, CNN, ”, Star, Marvel, Disney Locations: New York, United States, U.S, Austin

☆ How toy and game companies are winning back their grown-up former customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

I’m almost embarrassed to share that Zoo Pals are paper plates that feature the bright, adorable faces of animals like pigs, turtles, ducks and whales. And I had an incentive to finish my plate so I could see my Zoo Pal’s face again. In August Hefty relaunched Zoo Pals after discontinuing the plates featuring animals nearly a decade ago. Hefty said one of the reasons it brought back Zoo Pals was "so our fans can relive their fondest childhood memories." Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesMattel Inc.’s American Girl doll line has also seen an influx of purchases made by kidults over the past few years, “and it continues to grow in popularity,” Jamie Cygielman, the president of American Girl, told CNN.

Persons: New York CNN —, I’m, —, Covid, Krystine Batcho, ”, Batcho, she’s, Gen, Juli Lennett, ” Lennett, Christopher Dilts, kidults, ” Jamie Cygielman, Cygielman, Z, Instagramers, @inbloombyemily, hasn’t, “, Lennett, ” Batcho Organizations: New, New York CNN, Zoo, CNN, Le Moyne College, Consumers, Lego, Bloomberg, Getty, Mattel Inc, American, Girl, Social Locations: New York, United States, Syracuse , New York, Chicago, American

☆ 'Kidults' age 12 and up are buying more toys than ever, with teens and adults driving significant growth for the industry thanks to the pandemic and TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

'Kidults' age 12 and above are comprising a growing sector of the toy industry, according to NPD Group. NPD Group's Juli Lennett told Insider the growth is largely due to the pandemic and social media. "Now many of them are hooked," Lennett said of kidults who purchased toys early in the pandemic. Today, Lego now sells 100 adult Lego sets, according to the Associated Press, including a replica of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night and a functional roller coaster. "We make LEGO sets specifically for adults with more detail, challenging building techniques, and cool ways to display."

☆ Adults are buying toys for themselves, and it’s the biggest source of growth for the industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Sarah Whitten | Whitten Is A Social Media Writer For Cnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

It’s an important moment for the toy industry, too, with the holiday season upon us. “The definition of adulthood has definitely evolved,” said Jeremy Padawer, chief brand officer at toy company Jazwares. Toy companies have even begun creating their own television and movie content in order to support toy lines. Still, the stakes remain high for the toy industry as it heads into the final weeks of the year. “Right now, adult toy buyers are the reason for growth in the toy business,” Larian said.

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