LEADER Clare Turner
W At the heart of retail Also by Lema Publishing
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e’re on the home straight now in the run-up to Christmas, and the toy industry is pulling out all the stops to deliver an unforgettable festive season for children, after last year’s celebrations were scaled back by the pandemic. In early November, the Toy Retailers Association issued 2021’s DreamToys: a tally of the top 12 toys, regarded as the most authoritative predictive list of what will be the most sought-after gifts under the tree for little ones this year. At the time, Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee and founder of The Entertainer toy chain, told me: “After lockdown last year, it’s going to be fantastic when we can all get together for a Christmas meal and have some fun. That’s why I think we’ve got everything to play for. With 40% of the year’s annual turnover to take in the next seven and a half weeks, we’re ready for it and I think we’re going to have a really strong finish.” This positive attitude has been echoed by many of the toy retailers that I have spoken to over the past few weeks. And with the latest ONS Retail Sales Index figures showing that we’re moving in the right direction with a 0.7% year-on-year sales growth in October, the outlook is definitely feeling more positive. According to the BRC (British Retail Consortium), footfall growth on UK streets is the highest among major EU economies, and this is clearly translating into consumer spend, while online sales remain well above pre-pandemic levels as retailers ramp up their delivery and click-and-collect services. With Halloween heavily curtailed by Covid restrictions last year, this October showed children’s costumes selling a treat as families made the most of the occasion. And as indie toy retailer Marion Super of Dazzle & Inkspot notes in our Talking Retail section: “Being a fancy dress retailer too allows us to get a taste of what the ‘Christmas rush’ may be like at the pre-Halloween rush. If Christmas trading is going to be anything like Halloween, then we are all in for a pleasant surprise.” Meanwhile, Carla Ringer, children’s toy and book buyer for garden centre group
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Blue Diamond, reports that sales are off to a flying start, and she too is expecting a strong Christmas. But as BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson has pointed out, while retailers are putting in a gargantuan effort to ensure that gifts are ready for Christmas, they continue to be dogged by ongoing supply chain problems. Labour shortages are pushing up costs and creating some gaps on the shelves. Nonetheless, she says, retailers are prioritising Christmas essentials, and many have laid out their festive offerings a little earlier to ensure everyone has time to buy treats before the big day. This is certainly the case for several toy retailers we interviewed for this issue. Martin Blyth of Tickly Tapir held his Christmas preview event in late September and has been busy planning for the peak season ever since. Emma Scott of Birmingham Museums Trust started preparing for Christmas trading in early autumn and launched after the October half-term, while our columnist Hazel McCarthy of Toy Corner has even made sure that “those last-minute things that complete a present” - add-ons such as sticky tape, giftwrap and labels have been on display since the start of November, so her customers take note where to come when they need to buy those items. But as we go to press, a new priority has emerged for retailers, with the government’s decision to re-introduce the compulsory wearing of face coverings in shops in England to help stop the spread of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. Notices and signs advising customers to wear masks must be visible and staff are expected to ‘remind’ customers to wear masks - but enforcement can only be carried out by police and local authorities. Finally, I’d like to second these words from BRC’s Helen: “Retailers have worked incredibly hard to get shops and warehouses prepared for Christmas despite a variety of challenges. While there may be small changes in the way we shop, we remain confident that everyone can get what they need for a fun Christmas this year.” How was the festive trading experience for you and your business? I’d love you to get in touch after the Yuletide break and share your story. You can connect with me via LinkedIn or email me at clare@lemapublishing.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you.
Retailers have worked incredibly hard to get shops and warehouses prepared for Christmas despite a variety of challenges
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