Rise of the 'kidults': Growth in the toy market is being driven by millennials playing with children

Rise of the 'kidults': Growth in the toy market is being driven by millennials playing with children's games

• British adults are powering the toy sector's growth by buying toys for themselves
• 'Kidult' toy market is growing three times faster than the toy sector overall
• Millennials (18-34 years old) account for 50 per cent of adult spending
• Research found that adults without children spend more money on toys for themselves than adults with kids

By Harry Pettit For Mailonline

PUBLISHED: 04:42 EDT, 11 April 2017 | UPDATED: 10:56 EDT, 11 April 2017


Grown-ups are buying children's toys in unprecedented numbers as adults try to recapture their youth, according to new research.

One in every 11 toys sold in Britain in 2016 was bought by an adult for themselves, the research found, with millennials found as the top spending age group.

The £300 million ($372 million) 'kidult' toy market is growing three times faster than the toy sector overall.

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One in every 11 toys sold in Britain in 2016 was bought by an adult for themselves, new research has found. The £300 million 'kidult' toy market is growing three times faster than the toy sector overall (stock image)

TOP TOYS FOR ADULTS
The categories where the 'kidult' trend is most prominent are games & puzzles (17 per cent of sales), building sets (16 per cent), action figures (16 per cent) and vehicles (11 per cent).

Much of the growth in the older audience for toys can be attributed to the rise in collectable toys and popular characters.

Star Wars and Lego are real favourites for the more mature toy buyer.

Both these brands have spanned several decades and have been successful at reinventing themselves, most recently with films, including Star Wars Episode VII, which can evoke a feeling of nostalgia among a mature fanbase.

More than half of purchases by grown-ups are made online, with Amazon and Tesco the favourite destinations.

And the study found that men are more likely than women to buy toys for themselves.

Frederique Tutt, a global toy industry analyst for NPD, said: 'The trend for the not-so-young buying toys for themselves is a sign of our times.



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The kidult market – meaning adults buying kids toys for themselves – has grown 65 per cent in value since 2012. It increased by 21 per cent in 2016 alone. Much of the growth is down to adults buying collectable toys and characters, such as Star Wars or Lego (stock image)

'It's now normal in Britain to see adults playing games on their smartphones in public, and that's true whether the adult is dressed in a hoodie or a suit.

'Recently, we've experienced a revival in the market for board games as families look to spend quality time together the old-fashioned way.

'The trend for people aged 18 plus buying toys for themselves is possibly a reaction against the stresses of our fast-paced lives.

'Toys are fun – and when you are having fun any stress you might be feeling goes away. It makes perfect sense.'

The categories where the kidult trend is most prominent are games and puzzles (17 per cent of sales), building sets (16 per cent), action figures (16 per cent) and vehicles (11 per cent).

Much of the growth in the older audience for toys can be attributed to the rise in collectable toys and popular characters.

Star Wars and Lego are real favourites for the more mature toy buyer, the research found.

Both these brands have spanned several decades and have been successful at reinventing themselves, most recently with films, including Star Wars Episode VII.

These timeless brands can evoke a feeling of nostalgia among the more mature fanbase.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ld-bought-adult-themselves.html#ixzz4joqTwJSQ

 

I feel like because of the movies and tv series, is what is driving the Millennials into buying the toys. For Gen Xer's which is what I am it was the comics and toons that did it

 

Love this thread

for me I started collecting Funko Pop Dragonball figures, though I usually don't associating my self with the term "millennials" especially so in the past few years

though some of my more expensive toys includes mechanical keyboards lol and some exclusive game collections

 

yup, I've been watching DBZ Super since it came out, it's alright, it has more of a original Dragon Ball feel than it does with Z, something about the animation that turns me off a little.

For Funko, I only collect them from the series I like, ie DBZ, I might start a DC / Marvel / Street Fighter one, I might need a big cabinet to put them in.

anyways what does your company do? From the few posts I've seen you contribute in, it seems like you guys do quite a few functions

 

Mechanical keyboards? You'll have to show us what you mean by that...As for Funko pops I saw some a few months ago and thought maybe I should jump into collecting them cause they are cool and inexpensive, I bought them, and decided not too haha. There's just way too many especially when they start doing the "Exclusives" which could be a pain to collect. I've been collecting Transformers for the past 5 years, and focusing majority on the Masterpiece line with some of other retail stuff that you can get at Target. Also started to slim down my Marvel Universe figures that are the 3.75 to only X-Men and Spider-Man specific now. Oh and X-Men statues as well and Kotobukiya Bishoujo statues too Haha I have way too many figures though..

 

heh I posted a few of my mech keyboards on "things i bought recently"

when I was younger, I used to buy and build gundams too, I still have a few on display when I moved, but threw a few of them away because they were damaged

 

Very nice set up. I'll post my figures in that thread when I get a chance. I'm currently selling a bunch of my Marvel figures in my bonus room and haven't had time to organize it at all, trying to make room and slim down stuff. Next is my TF's that I don't want any more...

 

One name.

HOT TOYS [From Hong Kong]

That's all.