Emerging markets drive global toys sales | Key4Communications |

Global toys and games sales grew 4% worldwide, according to Euromonitor data published by the Toy Industry Association. However, there was much disparity between regions, as emerging markets, particularly Latin America and Eastern Europe, showed solid growth of around 9%, while sales were flat in North America and Western Europe, despite of the growth in Turkey (11%) and Germany (2%). Asia Pacific also recorded good results and grew just under 7%, thanks to double-digit increases in India, Indonesia, Thailand, China and South Korea.

Global toys sales exceeded $153 billion and growth is expected to continue until 2018. In 2012 there were also better sales than the previous year, but the increase remained below 2 percentage points.

CONSTRUCTION BUILDS GROWTH
For the sixth consecutive year, construction was the fastest growing category, followed by arts and crafts. Another segment with positive results was preschool, with a 6% increase in sales.

Sales of construction toys grew 8% thanks mainly to the effect of LEGO. 2014 should also be a positive year for the segment, after the good start to the year for the Danish company and due to movements in the sector, with the purchase of Mega Brands by Mattel, and the entry in the category of Spin Master.

China is expected to boost growth of the sector in the coming years, adding further $5 billion to global sales by 2018. Growth would come primarily from the increase in spending on toys per child, which in 2013 was $41, compared to $345 in Japan.