Results point to the strength of building sets and sports trading cards

Chicago, IL —  Circana announced the U.S. toy retail sales performance results for the first half of the year.

Toy industry dollar sales held steady from January through June 2024, versus the same period in 2023 – marking a big shift from last year, when the market was down 8% at this time. Looking at the bigger picture, toy sales remain 38% ahead of 2019 levels.

According to Circana’s Retail Tracking Service data, three out of the 11 toys supercategories experienced growth in the first half of 2024. Building sets led the pack, with dollar sales up 25% and units sold also growing, primarily driven by LEGO Icons and its particular appeal to adult consumers. The explorative and other toys supercategory followed, with 9% growth, lifted by the popularity of NBA and NFL trading cards, and the vehicles supercategory, driven by Monster Jam, also contributed to the dollar growth. In addition to building sets, plush and outdoor and sports toys were the two other supercategories to grow in terms of units sold. Among the top 10 toy properties based on dollar sales, four posted growth including Barbie, LEGO Icons, NFL, and NBA.

Looking at the overall top-selling toys across the industry for the six-month period, Squishmallows dominated the list of the top 10 selling toys. Items from The LEGO Group, Mattel, Zuru, and Pokémon also landed on the list.

“With toy sales beginning to stabilize in 2024, the tide is turning for the industry as we are moving from a state of correction to one of consistency,” said Juli Lennett, vice president and U.S. toys industry advisor at Circana. “However, it’s important to note that there are no guarantees for smooth sailing through the second half of the year. While inflation has begun to cool, the unemployment rate, record consumer debt, student loan repayments, and fluctuating consumer confidence should be monitored closely as a proxy for how the consumer is feeling and might shift their spending.”