As the holiday season approaches, Circana, LLC. states that the U.S. toy industry has delivered its strongest first-half performance in six years.
From January to June, the industry saw a 17% increase in dollar sales compared to last year. The leading cause was a high demand for trading cards, collectibles, licensed products, and fandom-driven play. The industry also saw a 12% increase for unit sales, with the average selling price increasing by 4%.
Throughout June, eight of the 11 toy supercategories showed dollar growth. Leading areas include Games & Puzzles (+45%) and Explorative & Other Toys (+58%), driven by trading cards, collectibles, and sports-related products. Healthy earnings across dollars, units, and pricing were also seen in Building Sets (+22%), Arts & Crafts (+20%), and Action Figures & Accessories (+10%).
These growths are driven by older consumers, with adult-only households accounting for 55% of toy sales. Adults ages 18 and up are the largest contributors to industry growth, and teens ages 12–17 are the fastest-growing recipient group. Both audiences generated nearly 60% of the industry’s dollar gains in the first half.
Circana reports that the U.S. toy industry will continue to see this growth as the holiday season approaches. Key growth drivers include collectibles, licensed products, gaming-related properties, building sets, sports-themed items, and hobby-oriented categories.
To learn more, visit circana.com.
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