Talking Shop

Just fan-tastic!

Retailers with a proven track record of appealing to the Kidult sector discuss how they engage their customer base and the products that are resonating with this booming demographic.

Dave Middleton - Owner, Freak Treats, Midco Toymaster, Midco Toy Planet

The Kidult category has always existed within the Toys & Games industry. Hornby Railway collectors go way back, as do Star Wars toy enthusiasts; believe it or not, Star Wars will be 50 in 2027…

Some retailers have been catering to this market for the last 25 years, if not longer, but in the early 2000s - when I first started out in toy retail - the industry didn’t understand the adult collector demographic or see the value of it. Kidult was a much bigger market than many realised. That changed when Funko first appeared in NPD (now Circana) and everyone decided they wanted a piece of the pie.

It’s more socially acceptable to been seen as a toy collector nowadays than it was 10 years ago. I’d never tell anyone at school that I collected toys for fear of being beaten up. Now it’s cool, and the sector has exploded into what it is today. The Kidult market is changing all the time though, as each generation grows older - the Pokémon kids of the 1990s are now in their 30s, after all.

Midco has always been ahead of the game when it comes to Kidult brands. I’m a toyaholic. I travel the world looking for this stuff and source products for toy companies alongside running the retail business; I’m just back from the LA previews, where I visited pretty much every major toy supplier (and a lot of smaller ones too). Reflecting how early adoption of the Kidult trend can pay off, our horror, anime and pop-culture merchandise and collectibles store, Freak Treats, has just moved to another unit within the Octagon Shopping Centre that’s almost three times the size of the original - demand shows no signs of slowing.

Trends out of the Far East are having a significant impact on the Kidult market, from anime properties and Hello Kitty to Sonny Angel and the craze for designer toy blind boxes, which I believe will take the UK market by storm. Labubu, from Popmart, is the one of the biggest - if not the biggest - brands after Pokémon, yet you won’t find it in toy shops.

TikTok and social media are driving consumers to go out and find these musthave items. Platforms are inundated with videos of celebrities showcasing these products as well as ‘toy hunting’ videos that show consumers queueing outside stores to get their hands on these coveted toys. The social media influencer vibe seems stronger than ever with Pokémon too. “Should I open it… or should I keep it sealed?” seems to constantly ring through my FYP on TikTok. Consumers love the thrill of the chase, and I see ‘card hunters’ trying to crack open packets to find rares. The hunt for the Prismatic Evolution ‘god pack’ was very real, and we sold out of the Prismatic Evolutions Super Premium collection within five minutes of opening the doors to Midco Toymaster on launch day. Bandai’s One Piece trading card game has also performed really well for us.

The secondary market is playing a part too; consumers love to buy something at the RRP that actually has a much higher resale value. Pokémon, Labubu and other viral brands can all demand a higher market value than their retail price, as long as the product is positioned correctly (and depending on supply and demand).

Even when we look at some more traditional toys such as Lego, the bulk of our sales are to adult collectors. The F1 Speed Champions range and Botanicals have both been standouts. A growing percentage of our sales is driven by collectability and the best products are those that appeal to both kids and adults. Kids are not playing with toys in 2025 in the same way as they did 10 years ago. Technology is providing instant gratification at the touch of a button - but kids and adults alike still love to collect and still love the thrill of the chase. For me, this is where the opportunity lies.

I love all toys and will buy literally anything. I’ll admit it - I’d still play with wrestling figures if I had the time, crack open my 1990s Hasbro figures and have a royal rumble. Now that is living the Kidult dream.

Matt Booker - The Corsham Toy Shop, Corsham

Adults have always purchased toys intended for children, so the concept of a kidult isn’t new. In many cases, they’re looking to rekindle their youth – now they have disposable income, they’re buying toys they either didn’t have or their parents couldn’t afford when they were kids.

I started my business 30 years ago – it was a small comic shop which sold a few ‘nerdy’ items, which eventually evolved into a full-blown toy shop. I sell a lot of mainstream toys these days, but my heart and passion are still with the nerdy stuff. I’m just a big kid myself and much of what I sell is product I would buy for myself, so I know what sells – it’s second nature to me.

I attend many trade shows, keep up to date with the best websites and even run a Star Wars news site myself. I’m also really into Lego; I’ve been selling the brand for years and have noticed a marked increase in releases aimed at kidults in recent years. Although before Lego specifically branded its adult range, adults were buying it anyway. The only thing that’s changed is that it has become more widespread and developed into a trend, especially with Lego Flowers and Botanicals, which has opened up a whole new area of the market.

The new Lego F1 range has also been very successful – in the first week of release, nearly all of the customers have been adults. Some have come in to buy one of each model, so they have a complete set.

By far the biggest Kidult range for us so far this year has been Pokémon – it has absolutely exploded since Christmas. Sales are definitely being driven by adults, and it is often generations: the kids I sold Pokémon trading cards to twenty or thirty years ago are coming in to buy new launches. Some come in at the weekend and spend upwards of £200 on Pokémon product. It’s also a classic case of supply and demand: sales dipped slightly last summer, so they decided to keep stock tighter for this year. Then the internet hype kicked in, and combined with the scarcity, it’s meant that customers have been queueing up when we get a new delivery of stock.

Besides Lego and Pokémon, other kidult ranges that always perform well for us include Funko, Star Wars and Transformers collectibles. Board games is another area that sells well to kidults, with games designed specifically for the adult market becoming more popular each year since the pandemic.

There’s also a fanbase of adult customers that are into collecting Epoch’s Sylvanian Families, and that has turned into very decent business at our store. TikTok has contributed to the brand’s popularity amongst adult consumers; even my old primary school teacher comes to buy them, and teens will often visit our store to buy the blind bags. I am looking forward to the anniversary range later this year, I think that will be a strong seller in the run-up to Christmas.

Andrew Staff - Forbidden Planet, Various locations

At Forbidden Planet, we see a kidult as someone who finds genuine joy in collecting, engaging with, and immersing themselves in pop culture, often revisiting the things they loved as kids, but also discovering new passions as adults. What’s changed over time is that there’s no longer a stigma attached. Twenty years ago, being an adult with shelves full of action figures might have raised eyebrows. Now, it’s mainstream. People proudly display their collections, attend conventions and are part of global communities. The term ‘kidult’ has matured; it’s less about nostalgia alone and more about a legitimate form of cultural identity.

It’s partly generational; Millennials and older Gen Zs grew up with geek culture becoming cool. These are adults with disposable income who are more inclined to spend on things that make them feel something. The pandemic played a role in accelerating that shift, as people sought comfort, escapism and a sense of control, which collecting offers. For the industry, it’s a talking point now, because the scale is commercially significant. It’s not niche anymore; kidult is a major market segment that’s impacting everything from product development to licensing strategies.

For us, it’s always been about being fans first. Our buyers and store teams live and breathe this stuff, so we’re not second-guessing what the audience wants. That helps us stay agile and intuitive in how we curate ranges. We balance long-term collector lines with fast-moving ‘moment’ products, and we work hard to keep stock levels in sync with the demand cycle. This is not an easy task when the internet can create or kill a trend in 24 hours. Social listening, store-level feedback and strong relationships all play a part in keeping us ahead of the curve.

Pokémon continues to dominate for us, not just because of the heritage, but because of new content and generations of fans. Likewise, Funko Pop remains a strong format across multiple licences. Anime is a big growth area for us, and brands like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer and One Piece are pulling in a younger adult audience. In terms of themes, nostalgia with a twist is resonating (think retro franchises with a modern refresh). Blind box collectibles are also performing incredibly well right now, especially formats that blend surprise, scarcity and strong visual design. There’s something about the mystery and the chance element that taps into the thrill of collecting in a visceral way. It feels playful but is also rewarding when you land a rare piece. Ultimately, it’s about stories and characters that connect emotionally. If a brand can tap into that, it’ll find a home with our customers.