Toys for kidults feature highly again at the Spielwarenmesse
Kidults – the topic was a highlight when it premiered at this year’s Spielwarenmesse and proved to be a visitor magnet with a high degree of international media interest. Studies by international market research institutes such as the BrandTrends Group and Circana likewise demonstrate its strong relevance to the sector. Emphasising its enormous potential for the trade, the topic will be given a fixed space at the next Spielwarenmesse, from 28 January to 1 February 2025. The ‘Toys for Kidults’ Special Area, at its central location in the Eingang Mitte entrance, will be displaying product examples, background information and expert tips from day-to-day practice.
Suggestions for the trade
From retro products, fantasy and science fiction to action and strategy games, this interactive world of experience vividly demonstrates the variety of products for adults with strong purchasing power. The Collectibles, Creative Fantasy and Tabletop Games categories reflect the target group’s different areas of interest and offer multifarious product ideas for toy retailers. In a diverse range of live activities, visitors can try out various games under guidance, for example. The Spielwarenmesse team has been assisted by experts from Nuremberg-based Ultra Comix – one of the largest comic and game shops in Europe – and from SPIEL, the world’s biggest consumer fair for board games, held in Essen. The package is complemented by presentations in the Toy Business Forum.
Strong target group for range expansion
“The Spielwarenmesse offers practical suggestions for an expanded product range that has plenty of potential to increase sales,” explains Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. The growing importance of the topic is underlined with an international study by the BrandTrends Group, which shows that 67% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 65 indicated an interest in buying two or more toys a year for themselves. According to the latest ‘State of the Toys Consumer’ survey by international market research institute Circana, it is the youth and adult group, aged twelve and above, that is responsible for the growth of the European toy market. With a value of €4.5 billion in 2023, it has grown by 2.5% since 2022 and now represents 28.5% of total toy sales. The five largest European markets in this respect are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. At the Spielwarenmesse, ‘Toys for Kidults’ brings inspiration from multiple product groups together in one place, offering not only relevant products but also retail-specific ideas and insider knowledge.
