Toy sales are up 13% for the first nine months of 2026, with 257m toys sold so far this year, positioning the UK trade for a strong Christmas
The UK toy market is enjoying its fastest growth in a decade, with sales up 13 per cent to £2.64bn in the first nine months of 2026, according to the latest data from Circana.
Shoppers have snapped up 257m toys so far this year, an increase of 38m (17%) compared with the same nine-month period in 2025, as new products and growing demand across generations give the industry plenty to celebrate ahead of Christmas.
Encouragingly, toys bought for children are playing an important part in the market’s success, with sales to under-12-year-olds growing 10 per cent in the first half of the year and accounting for almost two-thirds (64%) of total toy sales. But older shoppers are still contributing to the market’s success, with sales to teenagers and adults aged 12 and over growing 22 per cent in the first half of 2026.
Melissa Symonds, UK Toys Director at Circana, said: “It’s been an exceptional year for the UK toy market, with the strongest growth we’ve seen in at least a decade. What’s particularly encouraging is that toys bought for children are performing so well. There’s been a lot of focus on adults buying toys for themselves, but children still account for the majority of sales, and we’re seeing strong demand for toys that offer creativity, imagination and fun.”
Nine out of 11 major toy categories are in growth, making 2026 one of the industry’s strongest years in recent history. Circana’s Explorative and Other Toys category, which includes popular trends such as squishy toys and stickers, leads the way with 45 percent growth. Ever-popular categories such as Building Sets continue to be standout performers, with sales up 32 per cent year to date, while Action Figures and Accessories are also performing strongly, up 17 per cent.
Plush toys are also enjoying a strong year, growing 11 per cent, alongside outdoor and sports toys up 9 per cent, youth electronics, also up 9 per cent, and vehicles, rising 7 per cent. Traditional games have seen sales rise 17 per cent, despite a slight decline across the wider Games & Puzzles category
Last year, the biggest week for toy sales came just before Christmas (14-20 December), when shoppers spent £187m on toys, averaging £27m a day, with an incredible 1,354 toys sold every minute. With Christmas Day falling on a Friday this year, Circana anticipates two peaks in festive toy shopping: the final week of November, coinciding with the last payday before Christmas for many shoppers, and the weekend of 19–20 December, as families make their last-minute purchases.
Melissa added: “The toy market is heading into Christmas with more momentum than we’ve seen in years. The final week of November and the weekend before Christmas are likely to be particularly busy as shoppers make the most of their last opportunities to buy.”
