Parental guilt over COVID-19 ignites boom in toy sales inquirer.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from inquirer.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Celebrating the holidays might be pretty ho-hum, but one area thatâs booming is toys.
After a terrible year of remote school, canceled birthday parties and little vacationing, parents and grandparents ridden with so-called âCOVID guiltâ are spending a lot more on puzzles, crafts and games. And this is setting up the U.S. industry for its best Christmas in years â and maybe ever.
âIâve been in the toy industry for 30 years, and sales are just about as good as Iâve ever seen them,â said Jay Foreman, chief executive officer of closely held toymaker Basic Fun. Retail purchases of his companyâs toys, including Tonka trucks, have been up more than 30% since August and show no signs of slowing down, he said. âToys are a way for parents to treat their kids when they are so worried about whatâs going on in the world.â
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
James Cavicchia, right, with his son Joseph, 12, checks out Christmas gifts he bought at Toys et Cetera store in Hyde Park in Chicago on Nov. 18, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune
/TNS)
Parents feeling guilty about Covid-19 ignites boom in toy sales
Celebrating the holidays might be pretty ho-hum, but one area that’s booming is toys.
After a terrible year of remote school, canceled birthday parties and little vacationing, parents and grandparents ridden with so-called “Covid guilt” are spending a lot more on puzzles, crafts and games. And this is setting up the U.S. industry for its best Christmas in years and maybe ever.
Celebrating the holidays might be pretty ho-hum, but one area that’s booming is toys.
After a terrible year of remote school, canceled birthday parties and little vacationing, parents and grandparents ridden with so-called “Covid guilt” are spending a lot more on puzzles, crafts and games. And this is setting up the U.S. industry for its best Christmas in years and maybe ever.
“I’ve been in the toy industry for 30 years, and sales are just about as good as I’ve ever seen them,” said Jay Foreman, chief executive officer of closely held toymaker Basic Fun. Retail purchases of his company’s toys, including Tonka trucks, have been up more than 30% since August and show no signs of slowing down, he said. “Toys are a way for parents to treat their kids when they are so worried about what’s going on in the world.”
COVID Guilt Has Toy Industry Primed for Best Christmas in Years 1490wosh.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 1490wosh.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.