Peppa Pig Crowned Top of the Pre-School Pops for the Second Year Running

Peppa Pig has been crowned as the number one toy character for the second year running; according to data published by the NPD Group.

The animated character also shifted over 5 million DVDs, making Peppa Pig the top pre-school license in children’s DVD. Muddy puddles were also the central theme to the most popular pre-school books, bringing home the bacon to publisher Ladybird. Read more

Mattel Announces Q4, Full Year Result & Completes Acquisition of HIT Entertainment

Mattel has announced its forth quarter and full year results. For the full- year net sales in the company rose by 7%. Its major brands performed well during 2011, including: Barbie up 12%; Hot Wheels up 6%; American Girl up 5% and Fisher-Price toys grew by 2%.

Shareholders will enjoy an increased dividend; the world’s largest toy maker’s share price rose on the news.

It has also been announced that the acquisition of HIT Entertainment (from a consortium of funds led by Apax Partners) in a $680 million cash deal has been completed. Details of Mattel’s proposal were first released in late-October 2011. Read more

Subbuteo Back on the Table – Football Game Relaunched at 2012 Toy Fair in London

This year sees the return of Subbuteo – the table football game. A firm favourite with generations of boys, that has lately become a game mainly for enthusiasts. Among some, this hobby has elevated to a sport; with grown-ups playing organised tournaments, that even require the presence of referees. In 1998 Hasbro stopped production of the game. Read more

Best in Show at London’s Toy Fair

The 59th International Toy Fair has begun today in London at the Olympia exhibition centre. Toy manufacturers big and small set-up stall for three days at this annual trade event; to show-off their wares for the coming year.

2011 has been a good year for the UK toy industry with sales increasing by 3%, despite many families the tightening purse-strings because of worries about the current economic situation. The UK toy market is now valued at £2.96 billion.

The show features awards for the Best New Toys for 2012; where 32 winners were picked by a panel of independent retailers. Read more

Steve Jobs Action Man : Figure Cancelled

A planned action figure based upon the late Apple computer company founder and CEO, Steve Jobs, has been cancelled by the firm In Icons.

Steve Jobs passed away on 5th October 2011; and his passing, life and times was widely covered and celebrated by the press, television and new media (various internet sources). Recently an announcement was made about the production of a surprisingly well-sculpted, articulated toy representing the likeness of the man that oversaw the production of the Apple II, iPod, iPad and many other such technological creations.

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InnoTab 2: a New Version with a Twist

The VTech InnoTab was among the most wanted toys of Christmas 2011 and just a few days into 2012 an updated version is being marketed to retailers in the toy industry’s trade press.

A full page advert for the new InnoTab has appeared in the February edition of Toy News. As well as sporting a more refined appearance, the new iPad-like tablet computer for children will feature a microphone and a camera with a lens can be twisted to face towards or away from the user that’s viewing the screen. Read more

Tesco 80% OFF – Toy Unwrapping Times

Not a Christmas morning goes by without legions of parents exclaiming expletives of frustration when it comes to unpacking toys for their impatient children.

Toys are often secured into boxes by all sorts of devious methods: string, cable ties, twisted plastic wire, extra lumps of cardboard, sticky tape, moulded plastic thingamajigs and (most perversely of all) some manufacturers even think it’s a good idea to clamp things down with screws. Read more

Mothercare Q3: No Recovery from Last Year’s Frostbite

Mothercare has announced yet another decline in the performance of its UK stores, in its third quarter trading update. Like-for-like sales in UK stores fell by 3.0%, during the 13 week period ending on 7th January 2012. Overall sales on home soil dropped by 6.9%; in part due to the company’s plan to close-down 110 shops within a three year period.

These disappointing UK trading figures follow a poor 2011, which the firm blamed on snow during December. Read more

No “Magic Formula” The Entertainer to Conjure 750 New Jobs

Some toy retailers are facing hard times as they struggle to trade in the current fragile British economy. Hawkin’s Bazaar owners (Tobar) are in administration and scores of Early Learning Centre shop closures leave many shoppers without a source for those little tubs of glitter.

However, The Entertainer (a privately owned chain of toy stores) has just announced a 28.8% increase in December sales versus last year.

In the five week period ending on December 31st 2011, like-for-like sales from its website – TheToyShop.com – rose by a mighty 36.7%. In its network of 65 shops, sales were 4.7% up. Read more

Kiddicare to Expand Bricks & Mortar Store Presence

Kiddicare, the nursery goods retailer owned by the supermarket chain Morrisons, could soon be the occupiers of the 11 Best Buy stores (an unsuccessful electrical goods chain, part-owned by Carphone Warehouse).

In a report in The Daily Telegraph, all of the large outlets in out-of-town retail parks are under offer to Morrisons, however, the company may only choose the best sites. Read more

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