The UK toy market's sales have risen for the first time since 2020, in no small part thanks to adult LEGO fans and their purchases.
UK toy sales have risen by 6% in the first three quarters of the year, when compared to the same period in 2024. That marks the first increase since 2020, according to data from research company Circana. LEGO sets are cited as one of the areas of growth, with so-called 'kidults' (those aged 12 and up) accounting for roughly a third of sales.
That echoes feedback from the LEGO Group itself that the adult market has continued to grow in recent years alongside its year-on-year growth for several consecutive years now, reporting record profits in 2024. While the company is typically cagey about exact demographic breakdowns, the proof is simply in the sheer number of adult-focused LEGO sets released across various themes in recent years.
We've seen a marked shift even in traditionally child-focused themes like NINJAGO, as well as of course the record-breaking £900 LEGO Star Wars 75419 Death Star that is clearly made for adult collectors.
"The products that are doing really well at the moment, such as LEGO and Pokémon, are the ones that have that cross-generational appeal," Melissa Symonds, UK toys director at Circana, told the BBC. "It is a really difficult balance to hit, and some won't be able to make it. Some will focus on just the pre-school market, and some on adults – but the real trick is getting the balance between the two age groups."
While Circana's data is focused on the UK industry as a whole, rather than LEGO products specifically, but with the LEGO Group being the biggest toy brand in the UK, trends across the sector are also representative of the company. Indeed, research from Dream Toys about the most in-demand toys of the year put not one but two entries from the LEGO Group in the top 15, with LEGO One Piece 75639 The Going Merry Pirate Ship at number nine and the LEGO Speed Champions Formula 1 collection at number 12.
Overall, annual sales in the UK toy sector have reached nearly £4 billion, according to data from Circana.
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