NPD: U.S. Toy Industry Retail Sales Up 27 Percent Through April

The following article is based on a press release issued by The NPD Group on June 4, 2021.

June 4, 2021 | U.S. toy industry dollar sales increased 27 percent or $1.5 billion between January and April 2021, according to The NPD Group.

Ten of the 11 supercategories tracked by NPD posted double-digit dollar growth versus 2020 with all supercategories posting a positive two-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Seven supercategories also showed double digit growth rates over 2019. After experiencing a dollar gain of $324 million, outdoor and sports toys continues to be the largest supercategory with $1.6 billion in sales while plush saw the fastest dollar growth over 2020, up 44 percent.

“As we lap the lockdowns of 2020, the supercategories that had surging growth last year, like Games & Puzzles, appear to be slowing down,” said Juli Lennett, vice president and industry advisor, U.S. Toys at The NPD Group. “However, it’s important to realize that sales are still strong for Games & Puzzles in 2021 which is reflected in the 2-year CAGR growth of +34 percent, the fastest growth compared to 2019 of all supercategories.”

>Strategic Trading Cards was the top dollar growth class among all 96 classes tracked by NPD, driven in large part by Pokémon, which was the top growth property year-to-date. While all price points grew, the fastest growth came from price points between $40 and $69.99. One quarter of the growth in this price segment was driven by Strategic Trading Card Games.

Rounding out the top ten properties were Pokémon, Barbie, Star Wars, L.O.L. Surprise!, Marvel Universe, Hot Wheels, Little Tikes, Nerf, LEGO Star Wars, and Funko Pop!. Collectively, these 10 properties grew 48 percent while the rest of the market grew 22 percent from January to April 2021.

*Source: The NPD Group/ Retail Tracking Service, January-April 2021