Construction and collectibles help UK toy market grow to £3.9bn, reports Circana

Circana’s latest data reveals that the UK toy market has grown to £3.9bn, up 3% in the latest 12 months (to August 2025) and up 6% between January and August 2025.

For the second consecutive year, building sets have been the fastest-growing category, accounting for nearly 1 in 5 toy purchases and a market now worth £336m. Led by LEGO, the category continues to thrive through top-performing properties such as Formula 1 (the UK’s second fastest-growing property), LEGO Botanicals (third fastest) and Minecraft.

The collectibles category is also driving growth, representing 17% of spend (£262m) and 22% of all toys sold (to September).

“With an average purchase price of £8.54 per toy (year to date September), collectibles tap into the joy economy, giving shoppers affordable ways to celebrate fandom and community,” said Melissa Symonds, UK Toys Director at Circana.

“The collectibles category is a social-media favourite thanks to unboxing and reveal culture that fuels engagement and repeat purchases. We’re expecting this trend to continue into 2026 and beyond.”

Elsewhere, the kidult market is up 5% in the last 12 months to June 2025, accounting for £1 in every £3 spent and is now worth £1.2bn – or 31% of the total toy spend. Data to July 2025 shows that almost half of adults (43%) have bought a toy for themselves or another adult this year – a figure that rises to 76% among Gen Z (18 to 34 year-olds) shoppers. Data from January to the end of June also shows that toys for children grew 6%.

“It’s a double success story,” added Symonds.

“We’re seeing children rediscover the joy of play while adults are embracing it as a form of self-care, nostalgia and fandom. That combination is keeping the market vibrant and relevant.

“After a strong year of growth in 2025 and more to come in these final weeks, we’re heading towards 2026 with real momentum. Major releases such as Toy Story 5, Minions 3 and the FIFA World Cup are set to keep excitement high across licensed toys and collectibles, giving the market every reason to look forward to another positive year.”

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