More choice and online growth accelerate toy sales at supermarkets

Supermarket toy sales grew three times faster than the overall toy market last year.

Increases in product range and online sales had driven a 9% year-on-year rise in value sales of toys through the supermarkets during 2011, NPD Euro Toys Retail Tracking has revealed, compared with a rise of 3% in the total market to just under £3bn. This pushed the grocers’ share of the toy market up from 24% in 2010 to 25% last year.

Pocket-money toys continued to sell well at grocers, but there had been a rise in sales of higher-priced and outdoor toys, said Jez Fraser-Hook, NPD UK toy director.

While pricier toys were typically sold online rather than in-store, Lego said a Lego Technic car priced about £100 had sold well off shelf in Tesco last year.

Lego was a major part of the fastest-growing toy category in 2011 - building sets - which rose 20% year-on-year. Across the UK, the top-selling toy by value was the £1.99 Lego Minifigures range.

Outdoor and sports toys - an increasing part of grocers’ toy offer - rose 12% year-on-year, with Hasbro’s Nerf gun range accounting for a large proportion of sales.

Supermarkets had also played a major role in making the UK one of the most competitive markets in Europe.

“Seeing all toys in one major grocer at half price during the school holiday week in October is a recurring theme, while others have three-for-two offers from the end of September to Christmas Eve,” said NPD.