Toy sales in Spain rose 5.8% last year, reaching 1,065 million euros, according to data recorded by the research firm NPD Group. This is the strongest growth in the past eight years. "With the progress made in 2015, we can say that the toy market has regained levels of pre-crisis turnover", explains Fernando Perez, CEO of NPD Group in Spain. 

During the last year, nine of the eleven segments that make up the market have grown in sales. Only one of them (electronic toys) registered a significant drop, with a collapse of 17%. This is a general trend across Europe. After years in which tablets, computers and digital cameras were fashionable for the younger, the consumer has gone back to the traditional toy, which "continues to resist," says Perez. 

"This increase in sales is not only because of the success of a particular factor," according to the CEO of NPD, "the market recovery is general and it seems that we have left the crisis behind”. 

At the top of the best sellers we found Star Wars, which has skyrocketed its sales after the premiere of the seventh film in the series. In December his license reached 5.2%, up from 4.3% on average for the full year.  Other franchises like Frozen, Minions, The Avengers or Minecraft, and the traditional brands like Lego, Canine Patrol, Pin and Pon, Hot Wheels or Vtech Baby have achieved good results. 

Although the last weeks of the year have focused a significant volume of sales and despite the numerous Christmas promotions, best registered sales data are produced, as usual, at the last minute. 6.2% of the total sales volume of 2015 comes just two days before the Epiphany, Jan. 6. 

Source: key4communications