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Retail News - what’s happening across the retail landscape
The Entertainer has teamed up with Mattel to deliver its biggest-ever Santa’s grotto experience this Christmas. After the success of last year’s virtual experience, the toy chain received feedback that this format was much preferred by families - compared with meeting in person - and has therefore once again partnered with the toy giant to bring Christmas cheer to families and nurseries across the UK.
Groups will be invited to Santa’s grotto digitally and given a virtual tour of his North Pole home. This will include the kitchen where Mrs Claus will be preparing for Santa’s voyage, the workshop to say hello to the elves and the letter-sorting room, topped off with a face-to-face meeting with the big man himself.
From late November, competition winners and children chosen by charity partners will have the opportunity to speak to Santa one-on-one, learn about his life in the North Pole and tell him what they hope to see under their Christmas tree this year.
The Entertainer and Mattel will help host more than 90 groups at the North Pole. At least 45 will be part of the Salvation Army’s Enabled project: a group of nurseries that support children and their carers living with disabilities as well as Salvation Army supported preschools, foster carers, and childminders. Children will be invited to win a visit in store, through The Entertainer’s Letters to Santa initiative and at www. thetoyshop.com/santasgrotto.
World’s smallest Primark opens at
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham
Birmingham can boast that it’s home to the world’s largest Primark store, but now it has another claim to fame, as LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham has opened the doors to the world’s smallest Primark.
The LEGO model, which is situated within the attraction’s Miniland display, is a replica of the five-floor 160,000sq foot branch of Primark. Built from 2,988 LEGO bricks, it features a replica of the store’s interior and exterior, including 203 items of clothing, 12 mannequins, four escalators, two tills and even miniature LEGO figures of some of the actual Primark colleagues.
Amy Langham, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham’s general manager, said: “Our new Primark store is just the latest addition to our magnificent Miniland at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, which celebrates all the iconic Birmingham landmarks in a smaller form.”
Tesco reveals top toys for Christmas
Increased family play time created by lockdown will help influence the most popular toys this Christmas. That’s the view of toy buyers at Tesco, who have picked their top 10 toys to give parents a helping hand when it comes to making present choices.
Tesco category manager for toys, nursery and sport Anne Borrett said: “Lockdown created a unique scenario, with many parents and children able to spend more time than ever together, and this has brought about a huge ongoing demand for kidult toys: trusted brands that bring joy to grown-ups as much as their kids.”
Tesco’s top 10 picks are: LEGO Darth Vader Helmet, Paw Patrol Marshall Transforming City Fire Truck, Squishmallows, Kindi Kids Baby Pearl, Rainbow High Fashion Closet, Pictionary Air, Jiggly Pets – Tan Tan The Orangutan, LEGO Heartlake City Shopping Mall, Jurassic World Stomp N’ Escape Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Instaglam On-The-Go Trolley.
MGA & Zapf
showcase new lines in Hamleys window takeover
MGA UK & Ireland recently unveiled some of its leading new lines for A/W with a window takeover of Hamleys flagship store in central London. With products and scenes from brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, Na! Na! Na! Surprise and Baby Annabell, the window was billed as ‘the most magical yet, capturing the imagination of passers-by and all of the store’s little (and big) shoppers’.
Sam Wilson, MGA UK marketing director, said: “We have some incredible lines this season in the MGA and Zapf portfolio and wanted to celebrate them in true style, with a takeover of Hamleys iconic windows. The creative display showcased some of the best and most exciting products and themes.”
Meanwhile, real estate company Landsec has announced the entrance of two toy retailers at Westgate shopping centre in Oxford city centre: Hamleys and MINISO. The 2,745sq ft branch of Hamleys houses a selection of games, puzzles, and arts & crafts, from brands such as LEGO, Barbie and Playmobil. MINISO is the Japanese-inspired lifestyle brand’s fifth UK store, and first in the region. Spanning 2,600sq ft, the unit offers a full range of lifestyle and toy products. MINISO is renowned for its collaboration with global brands such as Marvel, Cartoon Network, and Disney.
Selfridges team member Simone Wiltshire checks out pre-loved toys at The TOY Project pop-up
Selfridges unwraps
pre-loved toy pop-up
This Christmas, Selfridges will become the first department store to offer a pre-loved toy pop-up in collaboration with London-based charity The TOY Project. Customers can shop for pre-loved Christmas gifts, as well as help the charity to provide toys to children and families that need them most.
Open until 23 December, the pop-up is in the toy department of Selfridges flagship branch on London’s Oxford Street. It features a curation of recycled puzzles, games, toy figures and mixed bags of smaller pre-loved toys, which can be used for children’s parties, alongside a collection of vintage toys and collectables.
Customers can donate toys at the pop-up every weekend until 18 December. These toys will either be sold back through the Selfridges pop-up or the TOY Project’s north London store, or given a second life and donated to children through the charity. Profits raised from The TOY Project are used to fund workshops and projects such as toy and book libraries and community events.
Get moving to help Retail Trust fundraising appeal
Industry charity the Retail Trust has begun a fundraising appeal after demand for its services for retail workers soared by nearly 90% due to the pandemic.
The charity has handed out more than £1.2 million in financial aid and run more than 11,000 counselling sessions since the start of the pandemic to help people working in the retail sector pay their rent and utility bills and provide support to those facing stress, anxiety, and depression.
It is now calling on people to support the appeal by walking, running, swimming, or cycling four miles, donating a minimum of £4 and nominating another four people.
Visit www.retailtrust.org.uk/appeal to sign up to the Retail Trust’s #fourretail fundraising challenge.
BargainMax.co.uk unveils Christmas toy picks
Online retailer BargainMax.co.uk has revealed 10 toys that it predicts will feature on every child’s wish list this Christmas, based on insights on trends and demand.
Emma Carden, buyer at BargainMax.co.uk, said: “These are set to deliver big smiles on Christmas day, with suppliers and manufacturers investing heavily in the products in the countdown to the big day. We’ve looked carefully at our audience’s searches to ensure we can provide the most soughtafter toys and games.” The top 10 are: the latest version of the Barbie Dream House, Paw Patrol Ultimate City Transforming Tower, L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. 4 in 1 Glamper, Hey Duggee Plush Chair, Hauck Malibu 2in1 Unicorn Doll Travel System, Hot Wheels Massive Loop Mayhem, Nerf Blaster Inline Scooter with Blaster & Darts, Piggy Mystery Head Bundle, Kindi Kids S5 Bubble N Sing, and the CoComelon Musical Bedtime JJ Doll.
Oddbods cast a spell on Argos with Halloween ‘retail-tainment’
One Animation brought Halloween-themed ‘retail-tainment’ to its partnership with UK retailer Argos, with the launch of a new Oddbods seasonal episode ‘Halloween Heroes’ exclusively via Argos.com - marking the first episode of a major animated series to debut with a retail partner.
The episode release coincided with the launch of exclusive Oddbods merchandise this autumn, spanning plush, apparel and dress-up at Argos and Sainsbury’s stores and online. The range includes Pogo and Fuse dress-up costumes from Rubies and Pogo and Fuse plush from Posh Paws.
Sashim Parmanand, CEO at One Animation, said: “When bringing our partnership with Argos to life, a key focus was to create innovative, unique ‘retail-tainment’ experiences to engage Oddbods fans and help drive them into stores and online retail spaces. The launch of ‘Halloween Heroes’ gives fans exclusive access to an all-new episode, and also marks the first time an entertainment company or studio has ever debuted content via a retailer’s platform.”
