London Toy Fair 2018

UK toy sales decreased by 2.8% in 2017 to £3.4bn, the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) announced recently. A number of factors have contributed to this dip in the market, including under-performing licenses, the impact of Brexit, plus the ever-growing concern over counterfeit toys.

At the annual Toy Fair in London, Natasha Crookes of the BTHA said: “The increasing breadth and depth of counterfeit toys is a real concern, with over £400m with of sales being lost to the industry. As well as the cost to companies from theft of innovative design.”

An estimated 10 per cent of all toys sold in the UK in 2017 were thought to be counterfeit, leaving children exposed to potentially toxic materials and at risk of choking, the leading industry body warned. While some fakes are easily spotted, others may be impressive replicas containing restricted chemicals that go undetected by customers. The old adage “...if it’s too good to be true” certainly seems applicable in this situation!

It wasn’t all doom and gloom at Toy Fair however with the collectables market continuing to grow over the last twelve months. Action figures, play sets and diecast models proving to be as popular as ever.

Walking around the UK’s largest dedicated toy, game and hobby exhibition, held at Olypmia in London, it was easy to spot some firm favourites making a reappearance. After a successful run last year Action Man will be re-launched this summer, with prices starting from £15.

Do you remember the 90s craze of Tamagotchi’s… those pocket-sized electrical creatures that you had to ‘look after’ in order to keep them alive? Well, they turn 20 years old this summer, and to mark the occasion Ban Dai have chosen to re-launch them with a limited edition run. Will they prove as popular the second time round…

Also spotted was a new range of tinplate models from  American based firm Schylling. Just like the originals, this tinplate is stunning!

TOP TOYS FOR 2018

The launch of Toy Fair 2018 also saw the British Toy and Hobby Association unveil its list of Hero Toys. This year the list of potential collectables of the future included...

• Nerf N-strike Elite Surgefire blaster, Hasbro, £25.99

• Glove-a-Bubbles, Wind Designs, £3.99

• Soft’n Slow Squishies, Character Options, £4.99

• Poppycock, Clarendon Games, £25

• Rubik’s Cube Jigsaw, Gibsons, £15.95

• Meccano Ferrari F1, Spin Master, £39,99

• Marshall’s 6v Fightin’ Fire Truck, MV Sports,  £139.99

• Playmobil 9227 Wedding Limo, Playmobil, £29.99

• Jetson Electric Jetskates, Jetson Electric, £399.00

• Ben 10 Omni Launcher Battle Figures, Flair Leisure Products, £19.99