Feature - Kidult

The Kidults are alright

According to Circana data, the Kidult category now accounts for a whopping 30% of annual Toy & Games sales. A constant influx of new players in the sector and ageing global populations with disposable income are fuelling exponential demand for everything from action figures and model kits to home décor and cuddly toys, meaning more retailers than ever before are looking to introduce Kidult lines to their stores in order to boost sales. But with opinion divided on what a Kidult product is (and should be), how can toy retailers make the most of this opportunity? Toy World finds out, with the help of some big kids from this burgeoning marketplace.

Kidults – what are they? When did they appear on the scene? And why have they become such a big deal in the Toys & Games industry? Circana defines a Kidult as someone over the age of 12 who purchases a product usually associated with children for themselves. As definitions go, it’s a somewhat ambiguous one that has led to debates on social media; it means that a 13-year-old buying £20-worth of Pokémon cards is viewed through the same lens as a 40-year-old dropping £300 on the latest collectible anime figure. Nonetheless, it’s an important benchmark that allows Circana to drill down into sales data and work out who’s buying what – and Kidults are certainly buying a lot, doubling the demographic’s share of spending in the last five years from 15% to 30%. The Kidult is a discerning buyer with an eye for authenticity and detail and a desire to collect only the best of the best. Limited edition collectibles and numbered editions are highly sought after, as is premium display packaging that will look great on a shelf or in a display cabinet (models are often left unopened as ‘mint in box’ so they retain their value).

As for when Kidults appeared… again, it’s contentious. The Covid-19 pandemic is often touted as the start of the Kidult trend, but is that accurate? After all, the likes of industry stalwarts Jeremy Padawer and Dave Middleton, both ardent adult collectors of toys, were around long before the pandemic (though Jeremy sadly lost his beloved toy collection in the LA wildfires earlier this year) and collector’s fairs have been taking place for decades. Hornby’s Scalextric, Airfix and Corgi brands, plus Lego, Funko, Mattel, Hasbro and many more, have counted adults among their fans for many years, long before they were given a catchy nickname.

What the pandemic did do for the sector was supercharge it. Millions of people suddenly found themselves stuck at home with money that would ordinarily be spent on holidays and meals out burning a hole in their pockets, and many began using it to buy toys and games instead, as much for their ability to cheer people up in a time of great stress as for their entertainment value. And voila, the Kidult category was (officially) born.

In the five years since, Kidult has become a very big deal for the Toys & Games industry, accounting for around a third of the total marketplace and growing at around 3% year-on-year. In 2024, it generated €4.8b in Europe and is forecast to reach around €6b by 2030. Far from being a flash in the pan or a short-term trend, Kidult is here to stay - and suppliers and retailers alike are clamouring to get in on the action.

“I feel like UK retailers, whether grocers, indie specialists or chain toy stores, are catching up to the rest of Europe in terms of the adoption of Kidult products” notes Alex Neal, managing director of Mighty Jaxx, EMEA & Americas. “In France and Germany, for example, there are already huge sections dedicated solely to collector brands, but I see very good headway being made in an effort to catch up, particularly when it comes to anime and Japanese-inspired licensed collectibles.”

According to the company’s head of Marketing, Kirsty Mackenzie, Bandai has been producing figures and collectibles based on iconic Japanese, manga and anime IP such as Dragon Ball and One Piece for as long as the properties themselves have existed. Because these brands were only available within Japan for many years, they possess an element of authenticity – OG status, if you will – that some other, newer brands have yet to replicate; and their fans expect nothing less than the highest level of attention to detail as a result.

“The Bandai Namco group is expansive and covers notable brands such as Gunpla, Banpresto, Shokugan and a huge list of others, offering thousands of products spanning a huge variety of IPs,” explains Kirsty, who also highlights Bandai’s heritage in this space. “These range from mainstream properties such as Demon Slayer and Gundam to more niche titles, at least in the UK, like Overlord and Made in Abyss. And we don’t just produce the main heroes and villains; we also offer secondary and tertiary characters and beyond, giving fans the chance to build out collections of even the most deep-cut characters. This depth allows us to cater to all demographics and all budgets, from pocket money collectibles through to our Premium format statues and figures.”

Earlier this year, in a joint piece written exclusively for Toy World, Circana and Generation Media noted that Kidults are actively buying products for use not just as toys, but home décor and lifestyle statements that proudly show off a Kidult’s fandom and passions. Some collectors have rooms for containing their toys, but growing numbers seem to be embracing geek-core elsewhere in their homes too, now the perception of adult toy collectors is no longer negative, but aspirational. Model or construction kits are an immensely popular choice for décor and display, a trend we’ve seen reflected in launches from the likes of Lego. Its Art collection includes Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers and The Starry Night, Hokusai’s The Great Wave and da Vinci’s The Mona Lisa, while the Botanicals range includes everything from modest bouquets and formal table arrangements to potted succulents and seasonal wreaths. Of course, the company’s more stereotypical model sets can also be used as display pieces; there are doubtless countless living and dining rooms across the country in which one could find a Lego Speed Champions F1 car or the very recently-released Brick-Built Star Wars Logo - or if you’ve got the space, The Shire from The Lord of the Rings or Jango Fett's Firespray-Class Starship, which comes with a purpose-built display stand and plaque.

Paladone’s senior National Account manager, Burton Munday, tells Toy World that although the company has traditionally been positioned in the gifting sector, the expansion of the Kidult market has opened new doors and resulted in substantial year-on-year-growth. Paladone’s range includes drinkware, games and stationery designed for young adults passionate about pop culture. Its most successful category, however, is themed lighting. Its products are perfect for gaming rooms or elsewhere in the house, giving a nod to a favourite movie or game and bringing together personal fandoms with lifestyle spaces.

Burton says Paladone’s Superman-inspired Fortress of Solitude light stands out as one of the company’s biggest launches for 2025. “It’s an integral part of the DC universe, instantly recognisable to longtime fans and a point of interest for new fans as a result of this year’s movie,” he explains. “It’s the perfect combination of collectible and practical, making it a great gift of must-have for any superhero admirer.”

Ben Beattie, brand MD at model kit specialist Airfix, says the growth in the Kidult space has been ‘wonderful’ to witness. While much, he notes, is driven by nostalgic licences, he believes the appeal of Airfix lies in the tactile joy of the build itself and the evocation of childhood memories in which modellers enjoyed the hobby with their parents and/or grandparents.

“The heritage of our brand exists in the historical accuracy from events that resonate generationally,” Ben tells Toy World. “A great example of this is our new Space range. Launching this August, the line-up spans decades of space exploration, from the Apollo missions in the sixties to the Artemis missions happening now. Our fascination with space is evergreen; there aren't many kids or adults who haven't dreamed of being an astronaut at one time or another.”

Ben adds: “Airfix has always proudly positioned itself as a true Kidult proposition. We celebrate the journey that a lot of our fan community has enjoyed through our products. From their first introduction to scale modelling as a kid, often via a parent, to the time they become the adult, passing the joy of kit building on to kids of their own. What makes Airfix especially appealing to Kidults is that it offers something truly immersive. The experience of building a kit is hands-on and absorbing; it's about taking time to focus and enjoy the process.”

Mark Ashurst, Sales manager at Blokees, agrees, telling Toy World that as a pastime, model building is ‘very in vogue’. “Model building has always been around, but  with the present climate and the need for some ‘me-time’. it gives consumers the opportunity to remove themselves from distractions, be present in the moment and gain a sense of achievement,” he says. It’s such an absorbing hobby, in fact, that charities such as Models for Heroes are using model making to help former and current Armed Forces and Emergency Service Personnel struggling with mental health issues. Readers can find out more in our exclusive special feature interview with founder Malcolm Childs, which can be found on page 14 (and don’t miss our other exclusive content from Pop Mart, Pavilion Distribution and Heathside Trading elsewhere in this supplement either).

Black to Blokees though, which Mark describes as a toy brand based on detailed, construction-led, licensed action figures that hit three of the category’s most popular sweet spots: building, collecting and licensing. Blokees’ licences cover the full IP spectrum - anime, retro and present day – while the Blokees Transformers line covers a wide variety of the franchise’s content streams including the TV series, comic books, live action movies and the most recent CGI movie, Transformers One. “Having spoken to many people within the Transformers community, it seems they all have a favourite era - and this influences what they choose to collect. As such, Blokees Transformers appeals to everyone - especially given that the models are also very affordable; our blind boxes range from £2.99 to £7.99.”

When it comes to price, data would indicate that Kidult consumers spend more than kids on toys and games, sometimes significantly so. Of course, adult buyers have more expendable income and don’t need the permission of a parent before making a purchase. Premium figures and dioramas can retail for hundreds of pounds, which doesn’t remotely deter hardcore collectors, while at the more affordable end of the spectrum, Kidults are able to buy up whole series or waves of ‘pocket money’ collections in a relatively short space of time. Retailers should consider stocking an assortment of carefully curated Kidult lines across all price points if they want to capture sales across a decent cross-section of the category.

Some retailers have been happily dabbling (or specialising) in pop culture and Kidult products for years, if not decades. Forbidden Planet was helping fans immerse themselves in pop culture properties since before owning a shelf-full of action figures as an adult was cool, Dave Middleton has just moved his Kidult store, Freak Treat, to a much larger premises owing to its success, and Toy Barnhaus is in the process of reconfiguring its shops to increase their Kidult areas and draw in even more consumers.

Others, however, have yet to get on board with this major shift in consumer behaviour. If ever there was a time to do so, it’s now; with the ongoing challenges the Toy & Games industry is facing, can anyone really afford to ignore a category with such huge potential?

The good news is that most Kidult suppliers are happy to support their retail partners with POS that makes creating a Kidult area in-store a straightforward, low-risk endeavour. Mighty Jaxx, which produces licensed collectibles in partnership with artists from across the globe, each of which brings a unique art style to the table, provides a wide range of POS materials, from FSDUs to display solutions, to help its partners grow the Mighty Jaxx presence in store. The company’s ‘fantastic’ creative team, based out of its HQ, produces best-in-class assets that Alex Neal says its current partners love.

Paladone collaborates closely with retailers to create eye-catching and effective in-store display solutions. Recently, the company designed a 6-foot Creeper display to support the release of Minecraft: A Movie, which generated real excitement at retail. Burton Munday says: “We’re constantly innovating new ways to showcase our products, especially our largest category – lighting. We’ve developed motion-activated displays and dark boxes to highlight these items in stores. For new partners, we also assess their Kidult space and provide tailored planograms to help visualise how our products can appear in-store.”

Bandai benefits from a Sales & Brand team that’s just as into the ranges it offers as its fans are. These deep ties to the properties and products in its portfolio mean they’re able to offer true expert guidance to retailers looking to enter the Kidult space. Kirsty Mackenzie adds: “Physical retail activations are a cornerstone of community building, and so we emphasize branded areas, POS and acrylic displays for product, the latter being the most effective way to showcase items to fans.”

The company has a huge number of launches for fans to look forward to this year, with brand-new ranges and the latest collectible series dropping monthly. This drives repeat purchases, tempting loyal Kidults back into stockists again and again. Banpresto welcomes new figures featuring the latest transformations from Dragon Ball Daima, plus new releases based on the latest seasons of One Punch Man and SpyxFamily, as well as the upcoming Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man movies. The pocket money Shokugan range continues to expand and blind boxes from One Piece and Dragon Ball are landing on shelves this year, along with even more additions from popular ‘kawaii’ properties such as Chiikawa, Sumikko Gurashi, Hamtaro, Rilakkuma, and more.

Mighty Jaxx is also set to unveil new Kidult offerings for anime fans. The company’s One Piece lines, according to Alex Neal, have been ‘on fire’ for the past two years and will benefit further from an exciting launch arriving in the summer. However, Alex is most looking to the arrival of the new Street Fighter Arcade series. “As a massive fan of the video game, it’s brilliant to see us take it on in an 8-bit style that delivers something unique for collectors,” he enthuses. “I can’t wait to see the reactions from fans.”

The Kidult category isn’t all about toys, though. Trading card games are big business, particularly Pokémon, which has been hailed time and again so far this year by retailers of all sizes for its exceptionally strong performance. Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana continues to enchant grown-up players and collectors too; the ninth set, Fabled, arrives on 5th September, following hot on the heels of Reign of Jafar, which hit shelves in May. Board games and party games continue to offer adults fun new ways to enjoy downtime together, whether that’s by solving a crime with a Casefile from Vivid Goliath or settling down around the 6th edition of Catan, from Asmodee. Keen puzzlers can also now take part in competitive, adrenaline-fuelled Speed Puzzling championships, which attract large numbers of adult participants, while Kidults who want to express their fandom through clothing and accessories can do so thanks to Pyramid International’s range of T-shirts and Funko’s Loungefly bags and backpacks.

As retailers look to get in on the action, so too do suppliers. In the past few years, the industry has witnessed an influx of new Kidult brands – or brands purporting to be aimed at Kidults. While it’s perfectly understandable that toy companies would want to carve out a slice of the pie for themselves, there is a risk that too many new players, too soon, could water down the category and the definition of what a Kidult is (which, as mentioned earlier, is already up for debate). Industry experts such as Raffaele Martinelli, general manager at Cosmic Group Collectibles, are already warning of the most common pitfalls to avoid, chief among them succumbing to the temptation to slap a ‘geek’ or pop culture licence on a toy and declare it Kidult. These consumers are unlikely to be taken in by such an approach, meaning it will only serve to damage the perception of the sector rather than enhance or expand it.

Calling for a “thoughtful, respectful, and above all, genuine approach,” Raffaele explains: “Kidults are looking for value-driven experiences, not just objects. They expect well-crafted designs, premium materials, collectible packaging and storytelling that’s true to the original lore of the brands they’ve loved for decades. They appreciate attention to detail, fidelity to source material and often prefer limited or numbered editions. This is a discerning audience, willing to invest — but quick to spot superficial or purely commercial products.”

It's good advice. Burton at Paladone says he’s seen a similar influx of suppliers within the Gift sector, telling us that various competitors will often sign the same licences as Paladone holds, and that increased numbers of retailers are developing and launching DTR ranges. “We’ve maintained growth and relevance by developing high-quality, innovative products that genuinely resonate with the fans of the licences we work with,” he explains, adding that with more than 50 properties in its portfolio, not many can offer the breadth and depth of licensing that Paladone can. “Although competition in the Kidult market is growing, few competitors offer the same level of in-world lighting and quality drinkware that Paladone provides.”

Kidult is not a bandwagon to jump on, according to Ben Beattie, but the expansion of the sector is certainly a reflection of the fact that more adults than ever before are looking for rewarding, well-made products that hold their interest. He says the risk of the category becoming diluted comes when products are rushed out or lack substance – when they’re designed to tap into a trend rather than to stand the test of time. Hornby’s brand success stems from the fact it respects its audience’s knowledge and enthusiasm and delivers something that feels both considered and worthwhile. “By focusing on depth, quality and staying true to what makes a brand distinctive, we believe the Kidult category can continue to grow in a meaningful and sustainable way,” he adds.

Mark at Blokees agrees, sharing his belief that the sector will continue to expand - but perhaps at a steadier pace. While dilution is to be expected, Blokees is ‘in it for the long haul’; Kidults are in its DNA. And ultimately, Mark says, “it is for the consumer to decide who stays, and who goes.”

Over the following pages, Toy World takes a deep dive into the all things Kidult, looking in more detail at 2025’s launch slate, how retailers are making the most of the category, and how suppliers are reaching these consumers through marketing.