- Circana
- Nov 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 21
From Toy Story to the FIFA World Cup, major releases are primed to keep Britain’s toy boom rolling into 2026
Strongest performance for children’s toys in years, whilst kidults continue to indulge
Bracknell, UK – 12th November 2025 - With the retail sector’s Golden Quarter well underway, Circana’s latest data reveals that the UK toy market has regained its magic, growing to £3.9bn, up +3% in the latest 12 months (to August 2025) and +6% between January and August 2025, setting the stage for a strong finish to the year.
Constructing growth
For the second consecutive year, building sets have been the fastest-growing category, accounting for nearly 1 in 5 (18%) toy purchases and a market now worth £336m (Jan-to Aug 2025). Led by LEGO, the category continues to thrive through top-performing properties such as Formula 1 (the UK’s second fastest-growing property), LEGO Botanicals (third fastest) and Minecraft, appealling to both children and adults.
Collectibles (which sit across all toy lines and are categorised as those parts of a series or blind-bag collection e.g. trading cards, mini figures, playset dolls) are also driving growth in the toy market. They now represent 17% of spend (£262m) and 22% of all toys sold (to September).
Melissa Symonds, UK Toys Director at Circana, said: “With an average purchase price of £8.54 per toy (Year to date September), collectibles tap into the joy economy, giving shoppers affordable ways to celebrate fandom and community. The collectibles category is a social-media favourite thanks to unboxing and reveal culture that fuels engagement and repeat purchases. We’re expecting this trend to continue into 2026 and beyond.”
Toys for all
The kidult (12+ years) market has expanded (up +5% in the last 12 months to June 2025), accounting for £1 in every £3 spent and worth £1.2bn, or 31% of total toy spend. Growth is expected to continue as the next generation of teenagers become adults, bringing their online sharing habits with them and further fuelling the kidult purchasing trend.
Data to July 2025 shows that almost half of 18+ adults (43%) have bought a toy for themselves or another adult this year – a figure that rises to 76% among Gen Z (18-34 year-olds) shoppers.
Encouragingly, data from January to the end of June showed that toys for children grew +6%, the strongest performance in years.
“It’s a double success story,” added Symonds. “We’re seeing children rediscover the joy of play while adults are embracing it as a form of self-care, nostalgia and fandom. That combination is keeping the market vibrant and relevant.”
Festive window offers a final boost
Christmas remains the cornerstone of the toy calendar, accounting for £0.9 billion or 23% of annual sales (the last 12 months to June 2025). With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday this year, retailers will be anticipating an extended window for shoppers to snap up toys in the final stretch of December.
The average selling price per toy in December 2024 stood at £13.43, with the £10-20 range the most dominant accounting for a third of sales during this important time of the year.
Symonds concluded: “After a strong year of growth in 2025 and more to come in these final weeks, we’re heading towards 2026 with real momentum. Major releases such as Toy Story 5, Minions 3 and the FIFA World Cup are set to keep excitement high across licensed toys and collectibles, giving the market every reason to look forward to another positive year.”
About Circana
Circana is a leader in providing technology, AI, and data to fast-moving consumer packaged goods companies, durables manufacturers, and retailers seeking to optimize their businesses. Circana’s predictive analytics and technology empower clients to measure their market share, understand the underlying consumer behaviour driving it, and accelerate their growth. Circana’s Liquid Data® technology platform is powered by an expansive, high-quality data set and intelligent algorithms trained on six decades of domain expertise. With Circana, clients can take immediate action to future-proof and evolve their growth strategies amid an increasingly complex, fast-paced, and ever-changing economy. Learn more at circana.com.
