Adult men purchase more toys than children today, NY Post reports
Last year, 43% of adults bought a toy for themselves, with the majority of male purchasers favoring figurines, collectible cards, and model kits, reports Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
For the first time in history, the demand for toys among adults has surpassed that of preschool-aged children. According to the NY Post, citing data from Circana, sales to this buyer segment in the toy market reached $1.5 billion from January through April.
Circana, which tracks consumer trends, described those aged 18 and older as “the most important age group for the toy industry,” referring to a recent survey that showed 43% of adults had acquired a toy for themselves over the last year.
“The reality is that today, most children do not play with physical toys the way previous generations did,” said Dan Larson, author of a study on the impact of toys.
In the United States alone, toy sales fell by 8% to $28 billion last year after a 1% increase from the previous year, according to data from Circana. This year’s figures still look weak: toy sales dropped by 1% in April compared to the previous year, and the number of units sold fell by 2%.
Meanwhile, Lego saw an increase in sales of sets for adults, specifically the “Titanic” set, which sells for $679.99 USD and the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars at a price of $849.99 USD.
Another key trend is that adults are buying collectible plush toys, reminiscent of the baby bonnets and dolls that caused a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s.
“The primary consumers will always be children. However, we are noticing that the adult market is showing its strength and has reached a tipping point,” stated Greg Ahern, president of the Toy Association.
Notably, an extremely rare Boba Fett figurine, standing at 9.5 cm tall from the iconic “Star Wars” movie, fetched a record $525,000 at auction. The value of Boba Fett even surpassed the record of a diamond-studded Barbie, which sold for $302,000 in 2010.