Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
-
- Figure 1: Consumer spending on toys and games, 2008-18
- Market factors
- More children but fewer families
- Stronger economy
- More convenient internet connections
- Kids use home technology to play
- 44% buy toys for Christmas
- Companies, brands and innovation
-
- Figure 2: Share of toys and games, by type of retailer, 2009 and 2013
- The consumer
- Where they buy toys
-
- Figure 3: Where people buy toys, in-store and online, December 2013
- Attitudes to shopping for toys
-
- Figure 4: Attitudes towards toy shopping, December 2013
- What would encourage them to buy from a shop?
-
- Figure 5: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, December 2013
- What they think about toys and games
-
- Figure 6: Attitudes towards toys and games, December 2013
- Figure 7: Target groups for toys and games retailers, December 2013
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- How can retailers escape the discounting trap?
- The facts
- The implications
- Is there a future for specialist toy shops?
- The facts
- The implications
- Will online retailing engulf toys?
- The facts
- The implications
- Do people still value conventional toys and games?
- The facts
- The implications
Trend Application
-
- Trend: Never Say Die
- Trend: Extend my Brand
- Mintel futures: Generation Next
Internal Market Environment
-
- Key points
- Family spending on toys and games
-
- Figure 8: Changes in family spending habits on toys/games (including video games) for child (ren), June 2013
-
- Figure 9: Changes in family spending habits on toys/games (including video games) for child(ren), by financial situation, June 2013
- Toys as Christmas presents
-
- Figure 10: People who bought toys as gifts for Christmas 2013, by financial situation, January 2014
- Figure 11: Toys and games bought as gifts for Christmas 2013, by age and age of children, January 2014
- Children using home technology
-
- Figure 12: Technology that children use in their homes, September 2013
- What families do together
-
- Figure 13: Family lifestyles, June 2013
Broader Market Environment
-
- Key points
- Children in the population
-
- Figure 14: Number of children in the UK aged up to 14, by age band, 2008-18
- Shifting lifestages
-
- Figure 15: Forecast adult population trends, by lifestage, 2008-18
- ABs remain the largest socio-economic group
-
- Figure 16: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2008-18
- Personal disposable income will grow
- Seven in 10 now own a smartphone
-
- Figure 17: Personal ownership of mobile phones, January 2012-September 2013
- Connected and mobile
-
- Figure 18: Household ownership of portable computers, January 2012-September 2013
Competitive Context
-
- Key points
-
- Figure 19: Consumer spend on toys and games in context, 2009-13
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
-
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Who’s Innovating?
-
- Key points
- Bentalls invests in creative activities and fun
- Ceremony at Disney
- Create your own toy
- Smyths has a new take on click-and-collect
- Gender stereotypes eliminated?
- Supermarkets expand own-brand goods
- Serving little people
- Industry tackles body image
-
- Figure 20: Make time to Play, Logo, February 2014
- Selfridges opens a dedicated toy store
-
- Figure 21: Selfridges, branded display and play table, August 2013
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Key points
- Consumer spend on toys and games
-
- Figure 22: Consumer spend on toys and games, 2008-18
-
- Figure 23: Consumer spend on toys and games, 2009-13
Channels to Market
-
- Key points
- Channels to market
-
- Figure 24: Share of toys and games, by type of retailer, 2009 and 2013
- Figure 25: Share of traditional toys and games, by type of retailer, by value, 2009-13
- Argos retains number one position
- Amazon marches on
- Supermarkets edge ahead
- Specialists highly relevant
- Impressive performance for Smyths and The Entertainer
- Potential for Early Learning Centre to claw back
- Other specialists generate excitement
- Department stores invest
- Discounters pick up momentum
Space Allocation Summary
-
- Key points
- Space allocations
-
- Figure 26: Toy retailers, summary space allocation, February 2014
- Toys R Us incorporates nursery goods
- Smyths allocates more space to tech
- Engaging displays at Toys R Us
-
- Figure 27: Dolls display, Toys R Us, Brent Cross, February 2014
- Smyths carries large ranges of outdoor
-
- Figure 28: Bicycles display, Smyths Toys, Friern Barnet, February 2014
- The Entertainer caters well for a range of ages
-
- Figure 29: Pre-school toys display, The Entertainer, Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, February 2014
- Argos bias to ‘big’ toys
- Less than 2% space in grocery superstores
-
- Figure 30: Soft toys and dolls display, Asda Superstore, Watford, February 2014
- John Lewis focuses on creative play, board games and construction
-
- Figure 31: Games and puzzles display, John Lewis, Westfield Stratford, February 2014
- Detailed space allocation
-
- Figure 32: Toy retailers: Detailed space allocation, February 2014
Retailer Profiles
-
- Toy specialists
- Toys R Us
-
- Figure 33: Toys R Us, space allocation, February 2014
-
- Figure 34: Toys R Us, UK sales, 2009-13
- Figure 35: Toys R Us, financial performance, 2010-13
- The Entertainer
-
- Figure 36: The Entertainer, space allocation, February 2014
- Figure 37: The Entertainer (Amersham), UK sales, 2009-13
-
- Figure 38: The Entertainer, financial performance, 2010-13
- Early Learning Centre
-
- Figure 39: Early Learning Centre, UK sales, 2011-13
- Figure 40: The Early Learning Centre, financial performance, 2010/11-2012/13
- Smyths Toys
-
- Figure 41: Smyths Toys, space allocation, February 2014
- Figure 42: Smyths Toys sales, 2009-12
-
- Figure 43: Smyths Toys, financial performance, 2009/10-2012/13
- Mono-brand toy stores
- Disney Stores
-
- Figure 44: Disney Stores, financial performance, 2009-12
- LEGO Stores
- Build-A-Bear Workshop
-
- Figure 45: Build-A-Bear Workshop, (The Bear Factory Ltd), UK financial performance, 2009-12
- Smaller toy specialists
- Games Workshop
-
- Figure 46: Games Workshop (UK), financial performance, 2011-13
- Hamleys
-
- Figure 47: Hamleys financial performance, 2010-12
- Generalist retailers with toys
- Argos
-
- Figure 48: Argos, total turnover, year to February, 2009-13
- Supermarkets
-
- Figure 49: Non-grocery items bought from grocery retailers, September 2013
- Tesco
-
- Figure 50: space allocation, Tesco Extra, February 2013
- Asda
-
- Figure 51: space allocation, Asda, February 2013
- Sainsbury’s
- Department stores
-
- Figure 52: space allocation, John Lewis, February 2013
- General value mixed goods retailers
-
- Figure 53: Selected value mixed goods retailers, turnover, 2008-12
- BHS
- Other retailers
- Home shopping
- Amazon
- eBay
- Shop Direct
Brand Communication and Promotion
-
- Key points
- Main media advertising
-
- Figure 54: Main media advertising, toys, all advertisers, 2009-13
- Figure 55: Main media advertising, toyshops, by media type, 2009-13
- Two retailers dominate
-
- Figure 56: Main media advertising, toyshops, 2009-13
- Smyths moves into top spot
- Toys R Us cuts back
- Early Learning slashes advertising
- Non-specialist advertisers
- Argos continues to promote toys
- Asda’s half-price brands
The Consumer – Where People Buy Toys
-
- Key points
- Retailers used for purchasing toys
-
- Figure 57: Where people buy toys, any used, December 2013
- General retailers stand out
- Toy specialists popular with ABs
- High-income households shopping at Early Learning
- Shopping in-store and online
-
- Figure 58: Where people buy toys, in-store and online, December 2013
- How many outlets do they use?
-
- Figure 59: Repertoire of outlets used for toys, December 2013
-
- Figure 60: Repertoire of outlets used for toys, in-store and online, December 2013
The Consumer – Attitudes towards Toy Shopping
-
- Key points
- Attitudes towards toy shopping
-
- Figure 61: Attitudes towards toy shopping, December 2013
- Special occasions matter
- Online is more convenient
- Special offers most relevant for younger children
- People plan ahead
- Party gifts
- Impulse buying
- Browsing in-store but buying online
- The influence of the child
- Gift vouchers popular
- Who shops with the child?
The Consumer – What Would Encourage People to Shop for Toys In-store?
-
- Key points
- What would encourage people to shop for toys in-store?
-
- Figure 62: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, December 2013
- Loyalty schemes please
- Older profile for catalogues
- Click-and-collect
- Ordered by price
- Try the toys
- Brands not available elsewhere
- Activities please
- Bestsellers
- The ideal store?
The Consumer – Attitudes towards Toys and Games
-
- Key points
- Attitudes towards toys and games
-
- Figure 63: Attitudes towards toys and games, December 2013
- Attitudes towards toys and games
-
- Figure 64: Attitudes towards toys and games, December 2013
- Women most likely to disagree that girls and boys should play with different kinds of toys
- Older people least enthusiastic about advertised toys
- Over-65s least influenced by pester power
- People with no children in the household take least notice of size
- Target groups for toy retailers
-
- Figure 65: Target groups for toys and games retailers, December 2013
- Family-centred (27%)
-
- Figure 66: Attitudes towards toys, Family-centred target group, December 2013
-
- Figure 67: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, Family-centred target group, December 2013
- Character toys (24%)
-
- Figure 68: Attitudes towards toys, Character toys target group, December 2013
-
- Figure 69: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, Character toys target group, December 2013
- Disengaged (20%)
-
- Figure 70: Attitudes towards toys, Disengaged target group, December 2013
-
- Figure 71: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, Disengaged target group, December 2013
- Traditional values (29%)
-
- Figure 72: Where they shop for toys, Traditional values target group, December 2013
-
- Figure 73: Attitudes towards toys, Traditional values target group, December 2013
-
- Figure 74: Factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, Traditional values target group, December 2013
Appendix – Broader Market Environment
-
-
- Figure 75: GDP, PDI, consumer expenditure and savings, at current prices, 2008-18
-
Appendix – The Consumer – Where People Buy Toys
-
-
- Figure 76: Most popular where people buy toys – Any used, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 77: Next most popular where people buy toys – Any used, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 78: Other where people buy toys – Any used, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 79: Most popular where people buy toys – Bought in-store, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 80: Next most popular where people buy toys – Bought in-store, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 81: Other where people buy toys – Bought in-store, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 82: Most popular where people buy toys – Bought online, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 83: Next most popular where people buy toys – Bought online, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 84: Other where people buy toys – Bought online, by demographics, December 2013
- Repertoire for all shoppers
-
- Figure 85: Repertoire of where people buy toys, by demographics, December 2013
- Repertoire for in-store
-
- Figure 86: Repertoire of where people buy toys in-store, by demographics, December 2013
- Repertoire for online
-
- Figure 87: Repertoire of where people buy toys online, by demographics, December 2013
-
Appendix – The Consumer – Attitudes towards Toy Shopping
-
-
- Figure 88: Most popular attitudes towards shopping for toys, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 89: Next most popular attitudes towards shopping for toys, by demographics, December 2013
-
Appendix – The Consumer – What Would Encourage Them to Shop In-store?
-
-
- Figure 90: Most popular factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 91: Next most popular factors that would encourage people to shop for toys in-store, by demographics, December 2013
-
Appendix – The Consumer – Attitudes towards Toys and Games
-
-
- Figure 92: Agreement with the statement ‘It’s important to me that children learn from their toys/games’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 93: Agreement with the statement ‘Toy sets that can be added to later appeal to me’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 94: Agreement with the statement ‘It’s important for families to play games together’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 95: Agreement with the statement ‘Traditional toys/games make the best gifts for children’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 96: Agreement with the statement ‘I prefer to choose toys/games that do not occupy too much space’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 97: Agreement with the statement ‘Girls and boys should play with different kinds of toys’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 98: Agreement with the statement ‘It is worth paying more for high-quality toys’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 99: Agreement with the statement ‘I trust the safety of toys from well-known brands’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 100: Agreement with the statement ‘I would prefer to buy toys/games that children recognise from adverts on television’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 101: Agreement with the statement ‘It is difficult to ignore a child’s request for toys’, by demographics, December 2013
-
- Figure 102: Agreement with the statement ‘Children prefer toys that are based on film or television characters’, by demographics, December 2013
- Target groups
-
- Figure 103: Target groups, by demographics, December 2013
-
Back to top