Hot Wheels race back
Retro favourites among the most wanted toys on Xmas wish lists
IT’S that time of year when parents start to worry whether they’ll be able to find everything on their children’s Christmas lists.
But panicked mums and dads should at least have heard of the most indemand festive gifts this year – with retro toys set to make a comeback.
Barbie, Lego and Hot Wheels are among a number of old-school favourites in a top 12 of predicted best sellers announced by the Toy Retailers Association.
Despite the proliferation of smartphones and games consoles over recent years, the top products are set to be much more traditional.
A colour-changing mermaid Barbie doll, at £24.99, is expected to be one of the biggest sellers.
The list also includes the Massive Loop Mayhem car track by Hot Wheels, which comes in at £54, as well as products based around popular TV shows and films such as Star Wars, Paw Patrol and Jurassic World.
The most expensive toy on the list at £69.99 is the Magic Mixies Cauldron, which allows children to conjure up a cuddly toy from a cauldron full of swirling mist.
But the average price of the gifts on the list is £36 – down about £10 on previous years.
Experts said the uncertainty of the pandemic had encouraged a move back towards more popular, well-trusted brands. But industry leaders warned families may face disappointment this Christmas due to the ongoing lorry driver shortage – meaning gifts will likely arrive late if not ordered soon.
The list was compiled by the association’s DreamToys selection committee. It is a predictive list of what will be popular at Christmas selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts, independent of toy manufacturers and makers. Gary Grant, chairman of the selection committee, said: ‘There are enough toys – it’s whether we can move them around quickly enough.
‘The backlog in shipping has cleared up. The bigger issue is making sure that stock flows properly. If people wait and order late or when they normally do, that’s going to be the problem.’
Mr Grant added: ‘The top toys this Christmas reflect a lot more of our traditional toys and wellknown brands.
‘People are buying brands they have confidence in after Christmas was disrupted – families will try and make up for last year.’
Toy sales are up 9 per cent compared with 2019 for the nine months to September this year, according to the latest market research. An estimated £81 is expected to be spent on seven gifts for each child this Christmas.
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