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Toys related to the smash-hit film Frozen are the most popular items for children this Christmas.
The Disney film was released over a year ago, but from Elsa dolls to Olaf scooters, it seems like anything is hot if it’s Frozen.
John Testori, owner of Bambola toy shop said: “Anything to do with Frozen is doing really well this year. It’s all about Elsa, Olaf and Anna, in that order. You could even sell an ice cube at the moment if you put Elsa on it.”
Frozen toys are aimed at children from three to 10, and while their main market is girls, Olaf still has a strong appeal for boys.
John said: “I only saw the film about a month ago but wished I’d seen it sooner. It’s a really enchanting tale so it’s easy to see why children love it so much.”
The next most popular toy this year is that old favourite, Lego.
John said: “Lego always sells really well at Christmas. It’s driven by the licences; Star Wars, Marvel, X-Men etc, so although it’s a classic product, it ties in really well with contemporary trends. The company always brings out new products at the start of each year so it’s something children can keep adding to.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have made a come-back this year thanks to a new film, while craft toys like the Sew Cool, a threadless sewing machine, and Cra-z Knit, a knitting loom, aimed at children over the age of six, are also selling well.
Toy sales in Britain have gone up 6% in the past year, according to NPD Group, the best figures since 2010. The analysts predict spending on toys will increase over the same period by £166 million to £3 billion as the British market storms ahead of Europe.
Bambola has been open in Jersey for 61 years. Set up by John’s father, the shop is one of the last toy shops left on the island after The Early Learning Centre pulled out last year.
John said: “The market might change but children are always going to love toys. People are not necessarily spending more or less on toys in Jersey than in recent years, but as the number of people selling toys on the island has gone down, we’ve certainly been busy.”
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