20 Playful Toy Industry Statistics for 2023

Amidst a global pandemic, here’s some positive news: the planet still wants to play!

If you are trying to improve your toy manufacturing business or just want to learn more about this fast-growing sector, we hope these toy industry statistics will be helpful.

In this detailed article, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the global toy industry, market trends, and much more.

So if you are ready, let’s get started.

Top 10 Toy Industry Statistics for 2022

Toy Industry Market Statistics

You’ll learn about the global toy industry and its current trends in the upcoming section. The statistics primarily focus on the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and China.

1. In 2019, the international toy market was valued at $90.7 billion.

(Toy Association)

In the same year, North America held the largest regional market share. As for the value of the market in 2019, it was a result of a 0.5% growth if compared to 2018, or 15% if compared to 2014.

2. In 2021, the global toys and games segment produced $330.4 billion in sales, trends in the global toy industry noted.

(Statista)

Moreover, the latest data reveals that the market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.2% yearly (during the forecast period 2021–2025).

For the sake of international comparison, in China, the industry generated $68,938 in 2021.

3. The toy industry in the US was projected to hit $32.6 billion in 2020, toy industry stats for 2020 claim.

(Toy Association, Madison Wealth Management)

Knowing how much Americans love spending, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this figure marked a 16.7% increase compared to 2019.

For the sake of comparison, the grand total of the US toy industry in 2018 was $28.95 billion, and $27.95 billion in 2019.

4. In 2020, in the US, the greatest increase was in puzzles/games by 32.2%.

(Toy Association)

According to a toy industry analysis for 2020, the puzzles/games category generated $2.93 billion in 2020, representing a 32.2% increase from 2019.

Other popular toy categories in the US included sports/outdoor toys (28.6% increase) and building sets (25.5%).

5. In the UK, total toy sales for 2020 were £3.3 billion (over $4.5 billion), UK toy industry statistics show.

(Toy World Mag)

Based on this figure, the UK retained its status as Europe’s largest and the world’s fourth-largest toy market.

Moreover, the total revenue of the toy industry in 2020 increased by 5%, with a 22% increase occurring during the first coronavirus lockdown of that year.

6. In the first three quarters of 2020, the Canadian toy industry expanded by a whopping 12%.

(Toybook)

According to toy industry statistics, the most rapidly growing properties in the country are Star Wars, Disney’s Frozen, Little Tikes, Nintendo, and Barbie.

The stats also note that the popularity of sports and outdoor toys increased 31% in September that year, while puzzles/games grew by 29%, arts and crafts by 14%, building sets 13%, and explorative toys by 10%.

7. In the initial four months of 2020, the Australian toy industry’s dollar sales increased by 17%, international toy industry facts reveal.

(The NPD Group)

Besides that, the unit sales grew by 0.7%, and the average price increased from $15.30 to $17.77 (by 16%).

The categories that produced the most in April 2020 include puzzles/games (93% increase), drawing/craft supplies (47%), and arts and crafts (35%).

8. The toy industry in China was forecast to hit 182.6 billion RMB (or almost $28 billion) by 2022, according to global toy industry trends.

(WPIC)

Since 2016, the toy industry in China has been expanding at a steady rate of about 9% yearly. In fact, in 2019, the industry was worth 153.9 billion RMB (or over $23 billion).

9. In 2017, the European Union imported $42.8 billion worth of toys, with Germany accounting for $7.8 billion of that total.

(World’s Richest Countries)

Trends in the toy industry show that, after Germany, the United Kingdom was second with $6.3 billion worth of imported toys.

They were followed by France ($5.3 billion), Spain ($3.4 billion), and Poland ($3 billion). Japan imported the most toys ($6.6 billion) in Asia.

In 2017, Africa imported $1 billion worth of toys, with South Africa and Morocco leading the way with $459.4 million and $86.5 million, respectively.

10. In 2019, the German toy industry generated €3.4 billion (or over $4 billion) in revenue, top toy industry trends show.

(Statista)

Following a fall in total revenue from 2006 to 2008, figures stayed steady for the following years. The most successful toy producers were Ravensburger, Brandstätter, and LEGO, based on sales revenue.

Educational Toy Industry Statistics

Toys are an excellent way to train the mind and cultivate creativity. Let’s find out what the stats reveal about the educational toy industry.

11. The global educational toy market is projected to grow by $28.40 billion during the 2021–2025 period.

(Research and Markets)

According to stats on the global toy market in 2020, this sector’s market will significantly increase at a 14% CAGR during the forecast period.

The leading players in the educational toy market include Engino.net Ltd, Hasbro Inc., Mattel Inc., and LEGO System AS.

12. APAC contributed 36% to the growth of the educational toys market during 2020–2024.

(Business Wire)

These toy industry statistics by Technavio also note that the market grew 10.08% from 2020. Interestingly, the expansion of the market has been aided by the growing demand for smart toys.

Unfortunately, counterfeit goods may stifle the development of the market in the future.

13. The STEM toys market (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) is predicted to reach a CAGR of almost 5% by 2023.

(China Daily)

Parents are constantly looking for toys that will inspire their kids to try and learn new things.

The most popular toys in this category include Artie 3000 (a WiFi-powered drawing robot) and Botley, the coding robot (a robot that teaches young kids the basics of coding).

Pet Toy Industry Statistics

In the following section, you’ll be able to learn more about pet-specific toy statistics.

How much are people prepared to spend on pet toys, and what are the latest trends in the pet toy industry? Let’s find out!

14. In 2016, pet toy sales in the United States topped $1 billion, consumer trends in the toy industry reveal.

(PR Newswire)

For the sake of comparison, this figure stood at $851 million in 2011. Based on this data, the market grew at a CAGR of 4% since that year.

Approximately 75% of the industry’s sales were generated by dog toys, while the rest came from toys for cats.

Another interesting stat is that in households with both dogs and cats, toy buying increased from 57% to 67% (from 2011 to 2016).

15. In 2021, more than 3 out of 10 pet toys will be made of rubber, based on toy industry facts.

(Future Market Insights, The Harris Poll)

Did you know that 95% of American pet owners see their pets as family members? Judging by this figure, it is only natural that owners want the best for their furry companions.

Pet toy manufacturers are creating more eco-friendly, non-toxic, organic, chemical-free, and recycled products for pet owners.

In fact, some of the leading players in the market are offering toys for pets that are created from straw rope and natural cotton.

16. The US pet toy sales were expected to account for nearly 88% of the North American market in 2021, thanks to rising pet adoption.

(Future Market Insights)

The toy industry statistics also revealed that the growing focus on pet wellness and pet health would enable the United Kingdom in 2021 to register year-over-year growth of 2.4%.

Moreover, the increase in France and Germany is projected to be higher than in the United Kingdom.

The major players in the market include Mammoth Pet Products, Central Garden & Pet Company, ZippyPaws, Jolly Pets, Fluff and Tuff, Inc., Cosmic Pet, Benebone LLC, and KONG Company.

17. Toy industry trends note that 25% of pet toys purchased in 2016 were treat/food-dispensing, interactive products.

(Pet Product News)

Interactive, treat-dispensing pet toys are fantastic because they stimulate the pet’s mind—thus, you are left with a happy and engaged pet.

Plush toys which remind the pet of an animal are similarly popular. To note, this stat was taken from a 2017–2018 survey.

Fun Facts About the Toy Industry

Ready for some interesting facts? Let’s jump straight into the juicy stuff.

18. It’s believed that the stick is the oldest toy in the world.

(Toy Hall of Fame)

Your first toy was likely a stick, and you probably use a stick to play fetch with your pet. With just a little imagination, sticks can become swords, light sabers, fishing poles, magic wands, and so much more.

19. The world’s most expensive toy is the Astolat Dollhouse Castle, worth $8.5 million, based on toy industry facts.

(Bloomberg)

The extravagant dollhouse was created around 1980 by Elaine Diehl, and it is decorated with, believe it or not, 10,000 miniature items. Here’s another shocker for you—it took Diehl 13 years to build this masterpiece!

20. The first Mattel doll designed in the likeness of a real person was Twiggy.

(Doll Reference)

The iconic British fashion model in the 1960s, Twiggy, became the first famous person to be immortalized as a Mattel doll.

Other celebrities by Mattel designed as Barbie dolls included Nicki Minaj, Elizabeth Taylor, Priscilla Presley, and Cher.

FAQ

What is the toy industry worth?

In 2019, the global market for toys was worth $90.7 billion, with North America having the largest regional market share. The toy industry in the United States was projected to be worth $32.6 billion in 2020.

Is the toy industry growing?

Yes! The international toy market is forecast to grow at a 1.4% CAGR during the 2020–2025 period. As for the 2020 statistics in the United States, the toy industry market grew by 16.7% since 2019.

What is the biggest toy company in the world?

In terms of global sales, Bandai Namco was the largest toy company in 2019.

As previously stated, between 2018 and 2019, this Japanese video game developer and publisher created over a whopping $6.6 billion in revenue.

Gigantic companies that follow include LEGO, Hasbro, Mattel, and JAKKS Pacific.

Who sells the most toys in the world?

Thanks to the famous “Happy Meal,” the biggest toy distributor globally is the American fast-food company, McDonald’s. Believe it or not, but each year, the company distributes approximately 1.5 billion toys.

However, since they aren’t exactly selling the toys, since accurate sales numbers are not available, the title has to go to the LEGO Group.

This toy manufacturer has consistently been outearning its competitors for the past several years.

How many toys are sold each year?

It’s estimated that every year three billion toys are sold in the US alone. And, as we already mentioned, the LEGO Group is the leader in the industry.

Conclusion

Creating toys that’ll keep the kids’ interest and help their development is challenging, but the industry manages to keep up, as we’ve seen from these toy industry statistics.

The global marketplace is driven mainly by booming online sales due to COVID-19, rapidly evolving customer tastes and the growing demand for eco-friendly toys.

The industry is fast and ever-changing, and it doesn’t seem it’ll slow down any time soon.

Sources

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Hermina believes that every day is a chance to learn something new about the obscure world around us. The driving force behind her writing is her passion for sharing knowledge with others all around the world. After attaining her master’s degree in English language and literature, she has decided to join the team of creative writers dedicated to delivering the hottest content on the web. So what are Hermina’s favorite topics to cover? Animals, good books, health, fitness, self-care—you name it.

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