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NEWS Market shows resilience in 2011 NPD betting on one per cent growth UK should remain largest market in Europe with sales of over £2.9bn... by Samantha Loveday
THERE ARE still two weeks of data to add in, but NPD figures for 2011 are likely to show the UK toy market grew one per cent during the year. NPD is hoping that the final two weeks before the holidays will have had a good impact, as seen in France and Australia. However, the figures fall short of industry expectations, and are well below 2010 which saw sales recover with an eight per cent rise in turnover. Even though 2011 started reasonably well up until Easter (up eight per cent), sales then declined in the spring/summer months (down one per cent) from May to September. However, the market has proven its resilience and the slight progression should ensure that the UK remains the largest market in
TOP 10 ITEMS IN WEEK 50 value (December 11th-17th 2011)
1. Innotab
2. Kidizoom Twist Digital 3. Fur Real Cookie Pup 4. Bop It XT
5. The Logo Board Game 6. Transformers Movie Leader
9. First Steps Babywalker 10. Lego Minifigures
VTech VTech
Hasbro Hasbro
Drumond Park Hasbro
7. Leapster Explorer Game Assortment LeapFrog 8. Monopoly
Hasbro VTech Lego
Parents and grandparents spent more overall at Christmas, according to NPD data
Europe, putting the industry sales figures at over £2.9 billion. The average price was standing at £10.19 in week 50, which can be explained in part by the growth of
the £60+ price point, driven by the success of pre-school tablets and LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer – which was in good shape to become the year’s best selling new product.
Frederique Tutt, NPD’s Europe analyst said: “Our consumer data shows that parents and grandparents worked their budget that little bit harder, but spent more overall, and families came first, therefore children were spared on the whole. 2012 is likely to be more challenging.”
LeapFrog boss hopes 2012 will make 2011 look ‘average’
Despite an increase in sales of 53 per cent towards the end of 2011, firm is planning even further growth...
by Katie Roberts
CHRIS SPALDING, MD, EMEA, LeapFrog has big plans for the electronic learning company in 2012. He told ToyNews: “We’re very bullish, we’re still looking at driving significant growth in 2012, both with new products, with existing products and with some very innovative new ways that we’ll be working with the industry. “Our objective for 2012 is to
make 2011 look average.” Despite a challenging economic climate where many firms are cutting back on new product launches, Leapfrog is planning to match the number of 2011 toy launches this year, introducing between ten and 12 new lines.
The runaway success of 2011 for
LeapFrog was the LeapPad tablet learning device, which was a sell-out before Christmas and made many of the retailers’ top ten lists, along with a coveted Dream Dozen selection. But there is more innovation planned for this year. Spalding explains: “This year [2011] we launched LeapPad and next year [2012], we’ll launch significant new mobile learning products, which I can’t go into yet.” The launches are set to receive strong backing, as LeapFrog puts plans in place for its first ever TV advertising campaigns for toys. TV advertising will also continue for mobile learning and reading lines. Further investment will also be
7
SPALDING: “We’ll launch significant new mobile learning products in 2012”
made to ensure the firm’s social media presence continues to grow. Overall Spalding is confident that the company will have a strong
2012: “For next year our plans are pretty robust, pretty strong.” To read the full interview, turn to pages 60 and 61.
FEBRUARY 2012
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