‘An evolving era of play’: UK toy sales rise for first time since pandemic

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Zoe WoodJanuary 20, 2026 at 12:20 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

UK toy sales rose by 6% to £3.9 billion in 2025, marking the first growth since the pandemic, according to Circana's annual industry report. This recovery is attributed to popular items like Lego sets, Toniebox audio players, and Squishmallows, alongside toys linked to films, TV, and video games. Building sets saw the largest growth, driven by Lego's success with floral and Formula One sets appealing to both children and adults. The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) highlights the increasing integration of toys with broader cultural trends and the growing "kidult" market, which accounts for a significant portion of sales. While the average toy price increased, toys in the £30-£50 range were most popular, indicating a shift in consumer spending habits.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Stranger Things ×240% Minecraft ×240% Melissa Symonds 40% Formula One ×250% Kerri Atherton 50% Squishmallows 50% Toniebox ×260% British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) ×270% Circana ×270% Lego ×380% UK ×390%

Keywords

toy sales 100% uk toy industry 90% kidult market 80% film-driven toys 70% building sets 70% lego 60% video game-linked toys 60% market recovery 50% consumer spending 50% british toy & hobby association 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United Kingdom

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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toy sales uk toy industry kidult market film-driven toys building sets lego video game-linked toys market recovery consumer spending british toy & hobby association

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