This year’s best-selling Christmas toys will be a mix of old and new, with many traditional favourites undergoing a “technological twist”, Britain’s Toy Retailers Association has predicted.
Unveiling its annual Dream Toys list, the TRA said 2011 had seen “amazing technological advancements” in the toy industry.
Its panel chose a list of the best 70 toys, predicting that the top 12 of that list will be this year’s Christmas must-haves.
The list of 12 includes Hasbro’s Let’s Rock Elmo and Star Wars Ultimate Force Tech Lightsaber Assortment as well as an interactive alien and a two megapixel camera.
Fireman Sam also makes the top 12, along with a Ninjago Fire Temple from Lego and the LeapPad Explorer, an interactive learning tablet.
Gary Grant, Chairman of the TRA’s Dream Toys selection panel said: “This year we’ve seen some amazing technological advancements from the toy industry.
“This doesn’t mean to say that the toys are ‘techy’; rather that technology has been used to enrich the whole experience of play.”
He added: “Throughout the top 70 toys we’re also seeing a fantastic mix of the old and new – including traditional brands like Scalextric powering into 2012 with an Olympic-inspired set, a board game of skill and action based on the phenomenon that is the Angry Birds app and classic characters such as Mickey Mouse brought bang up-to-date for today’s savvy kids.”
Meanwhile Christmas sales in the UK are expected to increase by one per cent – less than a third of last year’s growth, a new report has predicted.
Internet retailing is set to play a crucial role in “propping up” retail growth over the festive season, research by online shopping comparison website Kelkoo showed.
Christmas sales are expected to rise by £680 million, to £69.09 billion, compared with an increase of 3.2 per cent last year, said the report.
Online sales will rise by 16 per cent, or £1.88 billion, to £13.4 billion this year, half the rate of last year’s growth, said Kelkoo.
Chris Simpson of Kelkoo said: “The peak weeks of Christmas trading are critical for retailers, as many will earn up to 50 per cent of their profits during this period.
“Throughout the year, the retail sector is a major contributor to the UK economy, employing over 2.9 million people across nearly 290,000 retail stores and online businesses, and responsible for annual retail sales of £297 billion.
“The retail industry is seen by economists as a leading indicator of economic trends, and results this Christmas will prove vital in stimulating retail growth and aiding the UK economic recovery as a whole.
“The outlook this Christmas shows some signs of promise for retailers despite the harsh economic climate. Online spending is showing no signs of abating, and is mounting a real challenge to the dominance of the high street which, for a third year running, is expected to see a decline.
“Internet sales across the UK are set to be more important than ever, with consumers spending record amounts online, and online commerce acting as the primary driving force for overall retail growth during the festive season.
“In the meantime, a climate of government cuts and economic uncertainty is likely to undermine consumer spending, meaning consumers will be as determined as ever to make sure they are getting the best prices, which could explain why we expect to see many of them head online for their Christmas shopping.”
Top 12 ‘dream toys’ revealed
Doggie Doo, John Adams.
Fijit Friends, Mattel.
Fireman Sam Pontypandy Rescue Set, Character.
Kidizoom Twist, Vtech.
LeapPad Explorer, Leapfrog Toys.
Lets Rock Elmo, Hasbro.
Milky the Bunny, Flair.
Monster High Lagoona’s Hydration Station, Mattel.
Moshling Tree House, Vivid.
N. Vortex Nitron Blaster, Hasbro.
Ninjago Fire Temple, Lego.
Star Wars Ultimate Force Tech Lightsaber Assortment, Hasbro.