Toy sellers keep close watch on social media ban

UK toy sales have risen for the first time in five years, but sellers are braced for the potential impact of any social media ban for under-16s.

The value of toy sales rose by 6% last year, compared with the previous year, according to research company Circana, bringing some much-needed cheer for a sector that has struggled since the pandemic.

The rebound has been driven by the so-called kidult market - which relates to players over the age of 12, some of whom are influenced by trends on social media.

But experts gathered at the annual Toy Fair in London on Tuesday said that films, video games and playground chat could still help push further growth in 2026.

Cost of living pressures have loomed over families in recent years, although spending on children - particularly at Christmas - has remained a priority for many.

Covid lockdowns brought a boost to the sector when toys and games became central to keeping children and adults entertained at home.

Sales dipped since then, until last year when the number of toys sold rose by 1% compared with 2024, according to Circana.

With kidults spending more, the value of sales rose by 6% - the first increase since 2020, according to Circana. It valued the UK market at £3.9bn last year.

Melissa Symonds, executive director of UK toys at Circana, described last year as a "clear turning point" for the sector.

Cinema, streaming, video game and sport tie-ins - such as Minecraft and Formula 1 - all proved successful.

Symonds said that excluding the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, last year recorded the first organic growth since 2016.

Kidults accounted for 17% of the toy market in 2016, but this had risen to 30% by last year.

Building sets, predominantly Lego, has appealed to adults, but trends amplified on social media have also led to a 12% growth in collectibles across generations. Pokémon, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and Hello Kitty have all proved to be "market-moving trends", according to Circana.

Symonds said the industry would be considering the impact of the social media ban for under-16s in Australia, and the potential for a similar ban in the UK.

She said manufacturers and retailers may need to reconsider how some of these toys were marketed if bans were brought in more widely.

Kerri Atherton, from the British Toy and Hobby Association - which is hosting its annual trade fair at London's Olympia, said it was still too early to know what the fallout would be.

She described 2025 as a pivotal moment for the UK toy sector, but said businesses and consumers still faced financial challenges going into 2026.