Bulk of growth comes from US, while Europe and Australian markets see declines.
Global toy industry sales grew $409 million to reach $27.4 billion year to date – a 1.5% increase over the same period last year (January to September).
The figures are based on the latest data from The NPD Group, which tracks 13 international toy markets.
The bulk of the growth can be attributed to sales in the US – up 3.3%. Europe and Australia both saw declines, however – 1.6% and 1.9% respectively.
In terms of categories, the strongest growth came from dolls (increasing 14% to $3.84 billion), fueled by the success of L.O.L. Surprise. The MGA Entertainment property – which is represented for licensing by The Point.1888 in the UK – saw dollar growth more than five times that of the second best performing growth property.
Meanwhile, the Fingerlings property is driving the youth electronics category – which saw a 16% increase for the period, reaching $528 million.
“The enduring success of properties like L.O.L. Surprise! and Fingerlings is fueled in part by the continued interest in social media and unboxing videos, as well as the introduction of new items to stimulate consumer demand and pique the interest of consumers,” said Frédérique Tutt, global toys industry analyst at The NPD Group. “Should L.O.L. Surprise! maintain strong sales through the end of the year, MGA Entertainment is likely to become the fourth largest manufacturer globally for the very first time.”
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