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Wed, 11 Nov 2026

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 Stickers and building sets help drive toy sales ahead of Christmas rush

A bumper year so far for toy sales comes as debate intensifies over screen time and tech connectivity.
A strong year for toy sales continues, with traditional games and stickers driving growth despite cost-of-living pressures on consumers. According to Circana's research, 17% more toys were sold up to October compared to the same period last year, making it a 10-year high. The kidult market, which includes adults buying toys for themselves, has seen a 22% increase in sales value so far this year. However, the majority of toy sales still come from children's products, with squishy toys, stickers and building sets like Lego proving popular due to growing concerns about screen time. Connected toys account for less than 1% of market sales, showing that traditional play remains preferred. The Dream Toys selection panel has named a list of top toys this year, including variations on recent hits like slime and a shark that breaks out of an egg. Toy sales are expected to peak at 23 per second in the UK during Christmas, with nearly half of all toy sales occurring in the build-up to the holiday.