Insight
To monitor what’s happening in the ever-changing toy market, Circana collects point-of-sale information from all major toy retailers. This information, combined with our analysts’ industry perspectives, delivers a comprehensive view of what’s selling and where. We also field over 12m consumer surveys annually to help industry leaders understand why consumers shop where they shop and why they buy what they buy. For more information visit www.circana.com.
A positive trend L
Although many have found sales challenging over the early summer months, Rory highlights a bright spot in the market with licensed toy ranges.
icensed merchandise continues to play a big part in the toy market across Europe and has recently seen a boost in sales from big summer movie releases. Across the EU5, licensing makes up around 27% of sales; in 2019 this was only 23%, so there has been an impressive gain of around four percentage points for licensed toys over the last few years. There are differences by country, but also similarities too; the countries with the most heavily licensed market share are Spain and the United Kingdom, whereas France is the least with 25% in 2023. What is driving this strong performance across Europe?
Movies, video games and sporting events are all adding to the licensing growth. Some of the strongest growth comes from sports events, with +27% value growth this year, much of this coming from the UK. The reason for this is the performance of the Premier League licence in the UK with Panini stickers and cards. The peak in sales for the Premier League at the start of the year was almost as big as the peak for World Cup related sales in 2022. Premier League Licence Value % EU5 1NHJSXNSL RFPJ XZU TK YT^X [FQZJ FHWTXX YMJ *: FSI MFX YMJ MNLMJXY XMFWJX NS 8UFNS FSI YMJ :0 Panini sales rose by +38% last year and are currently The July release of the Barbie movie has had a +59% in 2023, with the peak (in August when the significant and immediate impact on sales. The 1NHJSHJ ;FQZJ *: G^ (TZSYW^ season begins) still to come. This trend looks set to Barbie property was up +30% in Europe for the continue. month of July and the No.2 property in value size. In
Rory Partis
Director UK Toys & EuroToys, Circana
Licensed toy sales are ahead of the total market Movies are another strong area of licensing and some countries, the performance was particularly trend in every country, with the top growth in one that has had high exposure this year thanks to impressive; in the UK it was the No.1 property for licensing currently coming from the UK with a +4% the Barbie movie which hit cinemas in July, although the month and was up a massive +72%. For the first trend in a toy market week of August in the that is currently UK, Barbie grew by +WFSHJ ,JWRFS^ .YFQ^ 8UFNS :SNYJI 0NSLITR 8TZWHJ 9MJ 35) ,WTZU a 7JYFNQ 9WFHPNSL *: a >9) /ZQ down -4% at a total +136%. This growth level. There are three is likely to continue countries with a for a good while yet, 1NHJSXNSL RFPJ XZU TK YT^X [FQZJ FHWTXX YMJ *: FSI MFX YMJ MNLMJXY XMFWJX NS 8UFNS FSI YMJ :0 positive trend for and we could see licensing: the UK, a significant jump 1NHJSHJ ;FQZJ *: G^ (TZSYW^ Spain and France. in sales when the And in Germany, movie moves onto while licensing is streaming too. declining by -2%, The final movie to this is still well mention is Teenage ahead of the overall Mutant Ninja Turtles: market trend of -5%. Mutant Mayhem, Looking across the which came out countries there are at the very end of some consistencies, July, with sales and the continued having already success of Pokémon seen significant +WFSHJ ,JWRFS^ .YFQ^ 8UFNS :SNYJI 0NSLITR across Europe is value increase the most notable. 8TZWHJ 9MJ 35) ,WTZU a 7JYFNQ 9WFHPNSL *: a >9) /ZQ across the month. (NWHFSF .SH FSI (NWHFSF ,WTZU 1 5 a 5WTUWNJYFW^ FSI Pokémon in the EU5 HTSKNIJSYNFQ It was also the No.8 is worth around €245m so far in 2023 and has grown other big movies have also helped to drive toy sales. licence in Action Figures for July. We should see the by +27%, making it the largest property in value Super Mario Brothers is currently the fifth largest performance improve even more throughout August size and in value gain. The rise in sales of Pokémon licence in Europe for 2023, growing by +20%, after with the movie now in cinemas. has been impressive, with the property growing the movie release in early April. This property has Sales across Europe show that licensed toys are from around €185m in 2019 to €478m in 2022. The grown across a number of categories, with key in great shape as we move into the all-important performance is consistent across Europe; the property trends in Building Sets, Action Figures and Vehicles. Q4 period. With the wealth of content available is Top 5 across most countries. Other licences that Transformers: Rise of the Beats hit cinemas in early and influences coming from movies, sports, digital are growing across EU5 include Star Wars with +7% June and is currently growing by +51% in Action content and video games, it will be fascinating to see growth, Super Mario Bros with +19% growth and Figures across Europe, making it the fourth top how high the share of licensed sales in the toy market Disney Princess growing by +22%. performing property in the category this year. can go.
Licence Value % EU5
Toy World 38
(NWHFSF .SH FSI (NWHFSF ,WTZU 1 5 a 5WTUWNJYFW^ FSI HTSKNIJSYNFQ