Progressive Preschool May June 2020

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The B2B Publication For Preschool Products and Retailers

ISSUE 47 MAY/JUNE 2020

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It’s often said that you get a true measure of someone by how they respond to a crisis; that how we interpret, react and bounce back from events we can’t control - such as the Covid-19 pandemic - will ultimately define whether or not we are able to survive. With clever initiatives, open communication and flexible working arrangements, it Above (l to r): Jacqui Parr, Jo Pilcher, Rob Willis and Samantha Loveday, part of has been both uplifting and inspiring the Progressive Preschool team. to see how creatively the preschool industry has responded to the challenges we have faced in recent months, despite the significant effects on everyone’s lives and livelihoods.

Almost immediately we saw nursery and toy suppliers and retailers responding positively to a range of trading restrictions, stock shortages and cashflow issues, finding solutions to ensure they could continue to operate despite remote working, home-schooling and various other personal and professional challenges. Reporting on them has been a genuine privilege, with the whole industry focusing on being flexible, helping one another and working together to ensure that everyone will come out the other side.

Once schools closed their doors at the end of March, there was an understandable rush on educational games and puzzles (NPD figures show that sales of games and puzzles have increased by 42% since the beginning of the year), only to be shortly followed by the inevitable boost in outdoor toys such as pools, bikes and ride-ons as the good weather sent everyone into their gardens. Retailers were able to offer online sales and deliveries throughout much of lockdown, with demand proving so great that some products are still completely sold out (we’re looking at you, trampolines!).

We have included features on both indoor and outdoor toys in this issue (pages 57 and 40 respectively) – as while social distancing continues, life will continue to be a little different for all of us.

Nursery product also remained in demand; it’s true that babies will continue to be born and parents will continue to buy products which promise to make their children sleep through the night. In fact, some categories did particularly well over the lockdown period, with reusable nappies and potty training brands benefitting from panic-buying shortages and seeing a significant boost in sales (see our feature on page 45 for more). There is also much discussion over whether or not we will see a much-needed baby boost towards the end of the year!

Elsewhere in this issue we have also included a special extended feedback section to allow businesses and retailers alike to share their responses, experiences, thoughts and plans for the future (page 33) as we wait for consumer confidence in the high street to return.

With all that said, we would like to offer a personal thank you to all of you who have sent us your stories, answered our emails, taken our calls, been involved in our online Zoom conferences and helped us present the true picture of the preschool industry’s response to the global pandemic. It’s been a difficult time for everyone, but ongoing, honest communication between suppliers and retailers is crucial and by continuing to work together we can all help the preschool industry continue to thrive in the future.

The Progressive Preschool Team ISSN 2515-8570

Rob Willis, Jacqui Parr, Samantha Loveday, Jo Pilcher Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Warren Lomax PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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NEWS TOP STORY

Preschool retailers are back in business

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reschool, nursery and toy retailers have been opening their doors for the first time since the end of March, as Monday 15 June marked the official opening date for many non-essential retailers across the UK. Although some retailers have been able to operate online or via personal appointment systems, there has been a clear demand for reopening the stores and beginning to work out what the much-discussed ‘new normal’ will look like.

“We are obviously very happy to have re-opened our store again but we know that we will have to approach this as positively and carefully as possible while we all get used to the ‘new’ normal,” said Huggle’s director Jason Heller.

“We are putting the safety of our team and customers first, which means that we have not been able to trade in quite the same way we would wish and that will result in extra costs and reduced

NEW SHOW DATES ▶ Harrogate International Nursery Fair will now be taking place from Sunday 18 to Tuesday 20 October, 2020. www.nurseryfair.com ▶ Toymaster will now be taking place from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 September, 2020. www.toymaster.co.uk ▶ Yhe plaY-room team is now exploring the possibility of holding The Independent Toy and Gift Show on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 September, 2020. www.independenttoyandgift. co.uk

Toynamics confirms exclusive distribution of Skip Hop

Toynamics has been appointed as exclusive distributor of Skip Hop branded products in the UK, Germany, Ireland and Austria, effective from September 2020.

“We’re excited to partner with Toynamics to continue our growth in Europe and bring Skip Hop products to even more families,” said Andrew Knight, vice president of international at Skip Hop. “Skip Hop is the perfect brand for Toynamics,” added Dennis Gies, ceo of Toynamics Europe GmbH, “completing our product range with its very special baby assortment – high quality products with innovative components and a high-class design approach. We are more than happy to welcome Skip Hop within the Toynamics brand family.”

footfall instore initially,” he continued.

“We had one of our strongest days online during the first day of being open, so clearly many people are still cautious about returning to stores despite the news coverage.”

Over in Lincolnshire, Pushchair Expert has opened on an appointmentonly basis.

“Customers are appreciating the extra measures we are putting in place,” explained director Jo Studholme. “Our appointments have been very popular and we are completely booked up! It was nervewracking but once we had actually opened, it became our new ‘norm’ and has gone very well indeed.”

At Wally’s Toy Shop in Thame, Oxfordshire, manager Sam Walker explained that the store had been able to offer a delivery service during the lockdown period, especially when it came to supplying outdoor products as families made the most of the good weather.

“It was so lovely that people were able to offer their support,” Sam said, revealing that key products selling during that time included play sand, paddling balls, board games and puzzles.

“Our first day open was a slow start, but we expected that, with people getting used to coming back into shops,” he added. “We’ve enjoyed it though, lot of people have been coming in and we’ve even had a queue outside!”

Above and inset: The teams at Pushchair Expert and Wally's Toy Shop are getting to grips with the 'new normal'.

The Licensing Awards to take place Wednesday 16 December 2020

The Licensing Awards 2020 have moved to a new date of Wednesday 16 December 2020.

The event – which was initially planned to take place on Wednesday 9 September – will remain at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London in its traditional evening slot.

In addition, the deadlines for entering the various awards categories have been extended to 7 August. See thelicensingawards.co.uk for mre information.

Mothercare reveals latest on transformation plan Nursery and maternity retailer Mothercare will relocate its head offices and is in discussions with a number of new prospective lenders, as the business moves closer to appointing a new permanent chief executive.

The retailer went into administration in November 2019, resulting in 2,500 job losses and 79 store closures. Since then it has been strengthening its global brand as it focuses on improving

the 'core competencies' for its global franchise partners.

“We remain on track to become a profitable international franchise operation, generating revenues through an asset-light model, operating in around 40 international territories,” Mothercare said in an official statement.

As part of its transformation, Mothercare also revealed that it will be making the move to a ‘smaller and more cost-effective’ head office in early August 2020, leaving the current Watford headquarters in mid-July.

The retailer is currently shortlisting candidates for a permanent chief executive, after interim chief executive Glyn Hughes ruled himself out of the search.

Left: Mothercare's UK franchise deal with Boots has also been delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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NEWS TOP STORY

Spielwarenmesse reveals industry's positive mindset

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he organiser of Nuremberg toy fair, Spielwarenmesse eG has conducted a major survey of its exhibitors and visitors to find out how they are coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1,810 trade visitors from 42 countries and 548 companies from 48 countries took part in the survey.

Many of the trade visitors who responded have succeeded in creating new sales channels, ensuring continued access for their customers despite the pandemic. These include existing online stores (43.9%), newly created online stores (9.1%), delivery services (22.8%), collection from store (14.4%), initiatives by local shops (7.1%) and new forms of customer

communication (18.3%), such as telephone and email, messenger services, social media and online advertising.

However, despite this ingenuity and creativity, the crisis has had a negative impact on business, with 45.6% of shop owners implementing reduced working hours and 18.6% making staff redundant.

Toy manufacturers are also feeling the effects, with 52.6% enforcing reduced working hours, 43.4% asking employees to work from home and 22.7% having to let staff go. At the same time, companies are supporting retail partners by extending payment deadlines and granting discounts, helping set up online stores or by drop-shipping.

Silver Cross and Micralite help families in need

During the Covid-19 crisis, more parents than ever have been seeking help from charities to provide essential items for their children and so prestige baby company Silver Cross and sister brand Micralite have donated travel systems, strollers, changing bags and baby bedding to two of these charities – Leeds Baby Bank and London-based Little Village.

David Abbott, global head of brand for Silver Cross said: “We know lots of families have been struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic, so it’s great that we can help by donating these much-needed prams and baby products.”

LICENSING LOWDOWN ▶ Acamar Films’ preschool brand Bing has won Property of the Year for its 2019 activity at the recent Bologna Licensing Awards. ▶ Popular preschool series Hey Duggee has seen a significant increase in traffic and engagement since lockdown began, with YouTube views up by 40% and unique visitors to heyduggee.com up by 90%. ▶ The LEGO DUPLO brand has teamed up with two key partners for the release of a new series of fun animations and original songs aimed at preschoolers. ▶ Magic Light Pictures has partnered with Micro Scooters on the launch of an exclusive range of Gruffalo scooters and helmets. ▶ Rocket Licensing has secured a deal to manage the consumer products programme for new CBeebies preschool stop motion animation, Kiri and Lou. ▶ Boat Rocker Studios has secured a deal with Scholastic for it to become the master publishing partner in English language territories for the upcoming preschool animation, Dino Ranch.

Below: The crisis has seen suppliers and retailers pulling out all the stops in a bid to mitigate losses.

The measures introduced to soften the impact of the crisis are also giving rise to positive aspects, as businesses find new methods of customer communication and take the opportunity to modify their business models. Some 25.8% of retailers and 32% of manufacturers also expect to make up for any losses through new sales channels, with 49.7% and 45.5% respectively believing their businesses will recover.

“The findings of the survey reflect the current mood in the toy industry,” said Ernst Kick, ceo of Spielwarenmesse eG. “While the crisis is posing a huge challenge for trade and industry, it is also accelerating the implementation of new, forward-looking measures.”

Ethical kidswear brand Frugi acquires TotsBots Ethical childrenswear brand Frugi acquired environmentally-friendly cloth nappy brand TotsBots earlier this year, forming a strong partnership and alliance based around their common purpose, values and ethics.

TotsBots designs, manufactures and sells sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly nappies made from recycled plastic bottles. Its products are now available on the Frugi website, while select Frugi lines are also being sold

on the TotsBots website.

“This is a really exciting acquisition that goes right back to the founding principles of both brands”, said Hugo Adams, Frugi’s ceo. “Both businesses will benefit hugely from working together by leveraging our customer base and cross-selling our products. TotsBots have production capability that could benefit Frugi and we can share our expertise by collaborating on wholesale offerings and driving distribution both ways.”

Egmont Books UK acquired by HarperCollins Publishers

Egmont Publishing has sold its children’s books businesses in the UK and Poland, together with Schneiderbuch in Germany, to HarperCollins.

The children’s book business in other markets will not be not affected by the deal, which will allow Egmont Publishing to focus more on magazines and comics, combined with ecommerce and marketing services.

Egmont Books UK will be run as a distinct children’s division, led by md Cally Poplak, who will report to Charlie Redmayne, ceo of HarperCollins UK. The division will maintain its publishing autonomy and remain in its offices for the immediate future.

Left: Egmont’s portfolio includes key preschool brands such as Winnie the Pooh and Thomas the Tank Engine.

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NEWS TOP STORY

AI boosts JoJo Maman Bébé online conversions by 25%

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ursery and maternity retailer JoJo Maman Bébé has seen online engagement and conversions grow significantly after introducing AI – artificial intelligence – to its e-commerce website.

A new partnership with Monetate has allowed the retailer to deliver real-time personalisation at each stage, creating more value over time and helping map the various stages of a customer’s lifetime.

“There’s overlap between the segments we target,” said JoJo Maman Bébé’s online merchandiser, Natalie

The Entertainer reveals its £1 million refit of Bullring store

Toy retailer The Entertainer has reopened its flagship store in the Bullring, Birmingham following a £1 million refit.

The store has been completely reimagined and is now home to the first Early Learning Centre shop-in-shop, marking the brand's return to the high street.

With a modern design refresh, interactive elements for children to enjoy and a dedicated team of product experts, it brings the brand up to date while retaining the iconic and much-loved elements customers know and love.

“We had a vision for the store; to create an immersive retail experience and fill children with wonder during every visit,” said Gary Grant, founder and chief executive of The Entertainer.

“The team and our partners have delivered beyond expectations.”

Right: The Early Learning Centre shop-in-shop allows customers to experience the updated in-store atmosphere.

Ong. “Maternity customers will be thinking ahead and looking at babywear, but they may also have children already, so they’ll be interested in childrenswear.

As a result, knowing the right messaging and product recommendations to communicate is complex.”

This approach has already seen a significant business impact, with the last holiday period seeing a 124% increase in homepage engagement, a 25% uplift in conversion and a 25% increase in new visitor conversion.

Different creative assets are designed for each demographic, with AI

Harrogate Digital Preview ‘bought industry closer’

The inaugural digital preview for Harrogate International Nursery Fair, which took place from Monday 22 – Tuesday 23 June, has been widely hailed as a success, thanks to an array of live talks, product demonstrations and even a virtual awards ceremony.

The event, which was held in partnership with Nursery Online, saw over 20 exhibitors taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase their latest lines, including brands like Invictus, Shnuggle, Cybex, Didofy, Ark, ErgoBaby, Hardenberg, Halilit and Silver Cross.

“We are over the moon with how the show was recieved by the industry,” said Nursery Online’s Kerry Haynes.

“We wanted to create somewhere that brands and retailers could come together in one place to find out about the latest products and new ways to help their business through these strange times.”

All information, ‘stands’ and live demos will remain available via nurseryonline.com until the end of August.

Bandai adds Cocomelon to distribution roster in EU countries

Bandai UK has secured the distribution for toys based on preschool YouTube channel, Cocomelon, in the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

It will launch the initial line in the autumn including plush, bath play, role-play, character figures, vehicles and play-sets.

A YouTube channel for preschoolers, Cocomelon currently boasts the largest kids’ audience in YouTube’s history, with over 85 million subscribers and more than 66 billion views.

“We’re thrilled to be distributing the Cocomelon range,” said Nic Aldridge, md at Bandai UK. “This fantastic product captures the essence of life lessons and entertainment, extending these beyond the YouTube channel to a physical preschool range for children to enjoy at home.”

technology deciding which version of the site to show based on everything known about the visitor. This provides each customers with a highly personalised homepage experience that quickly moves them to the section of the website which the most relevant for them at that specific time.

Above: The innovative approach has already seen a significant business impact.

Toy industry calls for laws to enforce online marketplaces to weed out illegal traders

A new report by Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) – EU Toy Safety: the problem of unreputable sellers on online marketplaces – shows that of almost 200 toys bought from third-party sellers on four online marketplaces in Europe, 97% did not comply with strict EU toy safety rules and 76% had defects that made them dangerous for children.

The toy industry is now calling for new laws to enforce online marketplaces to act against unreputable sellers and advising consumers on how to buy safely online.

“A fundamental change is that the EU – and consequently national governments – must recognise the role of online marketplaces in the supply chain,” said Catherine Van Reeth, director general of TIE. “The current lack of clarity on their role means they can – and do – sidestep their responsibility for the safety of toys sold on their platforms.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

▶ S ylvanian Families fans have been busy during the COVID-19 lockdown, voting for their favourite family of all time (The Puddleford Ducks to mark the brand’s 35th anniversary. ▶ Car seat and pushchair company Ickle Bubba acquired up-and-coming baby furniture brand Babyhoot in a move which is expected to strengthen the position of both parties. ▶ Marking 25 years of doodles, TOMY is launching a new range which will include a special quarter-century anniversary Doodle Bear with compatible app. ▶ Inside Out Toys has added two new toy brands to its UK distribution portfolio, Tikiri and sustainable toy brand Viking Toys.

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TOP STORY

Toys are big winners in lockdown sales trends

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ames, puzzles and outdoor toys are among the key preschool play items which have seen a dramatic uplift in sales during the lockdown period, reveals The NPD Group.

The data taken from the latest consumer research revealed that 47% of Brits with young children said they had played with games and toys more since the start of lockdown – interestingly, at 24%, the same is true of those without children, too.

Sales of games and puzzles increased by 42% since the beginning of the year to 18 April. They represent 13.2% of all toy

sales by value, compared to 9.4% for the same period a year ago.

While board game sales dominated during the week pre-lockdown (at 21% of total toy sales), the outdoor category has been the largest since then, with 29.3%

Left: Classic outdoor items such as ride-ons from Little Tikes and Mookie Toys have been popular.

Rubie’s Costume Company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy New York-based Rubie’s Costume Company has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code in New York. The filing relates specifically to the USA business and some of its affiliates and does not include the UK or European arms of the company.

Rubie’s is also a major player in licensing, with partnerships including Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon, offering licensed preschool dress-up for a number of key characters and brands.

of sales and a spend of £7.7 million in the week of 12 – 18 April.

Among the top ten bestselling outdoor toys for the latest week of data are the classic early spring items such as ride-ons from Little Tikes and Mookie Toys, sports toys like the Wubble Bubble from Vivid, splash pools, water balloons, bubble toys and Nerf blasters.

“During lockdown, leisure and play activities have taken a central place in family life,” said Frédérique Tutt, global toy market expert for The NPD Group. “With the arrival of sunny days, parents want to see their children play outside and get fresh air where they can, especially if they are lucky enough to have a garden. This could continue if travel remains limited during the summer holidays.”

“Given the highly seasonal nature of our business, our manufacturing relationships in China, the chilling impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the US and the global economy and potential liquidity pressures, the Board of Directors determined that the Chapter 11 filing is our best path forward as we carry out our restructuring efforts,” said Rubie’s president Marc Beige. “We believe that this decision will best serve our customers, licensors, employees and business partners.”

BPA issues exclusive car seat guide

The Baby Products Association has teamed up with a number of leading car seat manufacturers to launch a comprehensive guide which aims to end the confusion about child car seats.

The free guide, which is available to download via b-p-a.org, has been designed to advise parents, carers, retailers and suppliers across all aspects of buying and using child car seats, including the essential differentiation between R44 and R129 Regulations.

John Carolan takes on new role as head of baby at Boots

After 12 years, John Carolan has left his role at Tu clothing at Sainsbury’s Argos for a new challenge. John – who was head of buying for childrenswear at the grocer – has joined the team at Walgreens Boots Alliance as head of baby.

John is joining the Boots baby team at a key time for the business. The retailer has struck a franchise partnership with Mothercare, which will see product available online and in-store from late summer, having been delayed due to the Above: John is joining the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boots baby team at a key time for the business.

“I feel really privileged to be joining a business with such heritage and focus on the customer, which is particularly key at this time of economic and environmental change,” said John. “I feel very privileged to be leading the Boots Baby team into an exciting future in a business with so many creative plans already set up and more to come.”

Morrisons takes its Nutmeg brand online

Morrisons has launched a new website for its Nutmeg clothing brand, making the range easily available to all customers across the UK. It will include the supermarket’s full range of baby and kidswear – which includes a number of licensed preschool character lines such as Hey Duggee, Peppa Pig and PAW Patrol.

GOOD NEWS IN BRIEF ▶ Luxury British baby brand Silver Cross showed its support to the NHS with an Instagram prize draw to raise funds for NHS Charities Together. ▶ ToyAid is a new initiative which will see the toy, entertainment and licensing communities joining forces to raise funds for small charities which have been severely affected in the economic downturn. ▶ Pushchair company didofy and Bushey-based RH Sales & Marketing both donated essential PPE equipment including masks and protective visors. ▶ Peppa Pig has teamed with Save the Children for charitable retail promotion which sees 20% from all products being donated to Save the Children’s UK COVID-19 appeal. ▶ Playmobil launched a series of figures featuring everyday heroes in aid of the NHS Charities Together campaign to thank every key worker playing an essential role during the pandemic. ▶ Innovative nursery company Rockit held a special auction for its brand new product Zed – the first one off the production line – in order to raise money for NHS charities.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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TOP STORY

Fisher-Price celebrates its 90th anniversary

L

eading nursery and preschool brand Fisher-Price is marking its 90th anniversary, with new product introductions and a continuation of its 'Let's Be Kids' marketing campaign.

The brand – which has been a staple fixture in many toy boxes across the generations – has notched up a number of 'firsts' over the years. It claims to have been the first to use the phrase 'preschool toys', the first to create licensed toys and one of the first companies to make coding

available to preschool children with the introduction of the Code-A-Pillar in 2016.

The recently launched 360-degree marketing campaign entitled Let's Be Kids aims to celebrate seeing the world from a child's perspective, with optimism and humour, while also extending an open invitation to grown ups to 'grow down' and rediscover the joy of playtime.

It has also committed to further innovation in the future – in 2021, Rock-A-Stack will be 100% recyclable and made from sugar cane as part of the company's move to fully recyclable toys across its portfolio.

“Fisher-Price was founded in 1930 as a brand built from the belief that the world needed better toys,” said Chuck Scothon, svp of Fisher-Price and global head of infant and preschool at Mattel.

“The founders focused on creating toys that 'appeal to the imagination because play is how kids grow, learn and develop'. 90 years later, this philosophy lives on.”

Above left: Fisher-Price remains focused on introducing toys and products that help with childhood development during the early, pivotal years.

The Baby Show NEC moves to November

The Baby Show NEC – which was scheduled to take place in August after being moved from its original date in mid-May – will now be taking place in November.

London's Olympia Baby Show will continue to run from 23 – 25 October 2020.

In the meantime, The Baby Show will be continuing to support its community of expectant and new parents digitally with free advice, support and guidance through its social channels, including the popular #WednesdayWellness live sessions on Instagram .

The Entertainer's Gary Grant named among 100 most influential people in retail today Gary Grant, founder and chief executive of The Entertainer has been named as one of retail's most influential leaders of 2020 in the Retail 100.

The annual ranking is published by RWRC – home of Retail Week and World Retail Congress – and celebrates leaders who it describes as 'transforming retail, speaking out, innovating, making headlines and driving growth'.

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, this year's Retail 100 highlights leaders who have prioritised people and purpose, and who have innovated, collaborated and operated with agility to meet unprecedented challenges.

“I am delighted to have been recognised as one of the most influential people in retail, but this influence has only been possible as a result of the strong and committed team I have supporting me,” commented Gary. “In every part of the business, from our shops to logistics to head office, I am fortunate to have people truly dedicated to the success of The Entertainer and I'm extremely grateful for all they do.”

Inaugural Play at Home Fest is a preschool triumph

The first ever virtual Play at Home Fest took place in May and saw 14,000 families logging on and bringing a range of preschool brands direct into their family homes.

The two-day event, which was organised by Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide, was streamed across dedicated website PlayatHomeFest. com, with social media impressions exceeding 750,000 on Good Play Guide channels alone.

A number of preschool brands signed up to Play at Home Fest, including Warner Bros., Aardman, Tomy, tonies, Orchard Toys, Tractor Ted and Mirakin, with all showcasing their brand to the targeted, engaged audience.

The team at Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide is now planning its second virtual festival, which will be taking place across the August Bank Holiday weekend (29 – 31 Aug).

Contact marketing@goodplayguide. com to find out more.

PEOPLE NEWS ▶ Costume character company, Rainbow Productions has confirmed that current md David Scott is retiring from the business.

Simon Foulkes, the company's sales and marketing director, has taken up the reins as the new owner and managing director. ▶ T oy retailer The Entertainer has welcomed Geoff Sheffield as its new buying director. The move comes as Stuart Grant takes up his new role as group sourcing director. ▶ Toynamics UK & Ireland has further strengthened its sales team, appointing Sharon Gaskin as national accounts manager to handle brands including Hape, Nanoblock and Nebulous Stars. ▶ Spielwarenmesse has revealed key changes to its executive board.

Long-standing members Ernst Kick (ceo) and Dr. HansJuergen Richter will be leaving on 30 June, 2021 when their term comes to an end. Christian Ulrich, Florian Hess and Jens Pflüger will be taking over from 1 July, 2021.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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© 2019 Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. Rovio, All Angry Birds logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Avengers © 2019 Marvel. Baby Shark © Smart Study Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pinkfong® Baby Shark™ is a licensed trademark of Smart Study Co., Ltd. Captain Marvel © 2019 Marvel. Dumbo © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Fingerlings® and all product names, designations and logos are trademarks of WowWee Group Limited. Copyright 2016-2019 WowWee Group Limited. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. © MGA Entertainment, Inc. L.O.L. SURPRISE! TM is a trademark of MGA in the U.S. and other Countries. All logos, names, characters, likenesses, images, slogans and packaging appearance are the property of MGA. Mary Poppins Returns © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Match Attax © TOPPS Europe Limited, 2019. All rights reserved. © 2019 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. NICKELODEON, NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2019 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Shimmer and Shine © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, trademark of Viacom International Inc. Spies in Disguise™ and © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse © 2018 Marvel © 2018 SPA & CPII. © 2019 Super Wings™ All Rights Reserved. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Secret Life of Pets is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2019 Ugly Industries Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wonder Park TM & © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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ark © Smart ademarks of ing © 2019 ary Poppins onal Inc. er and Shine 018 SPA & ensing LLC.

Publishing for a new generation

Centum Books 20 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HR, UK. Office: +44 (0)1626 337736 • Fax: +44 (0)1626 334580 • Books@centumbooksltd.co.uk

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The UK’s only baby trade show 18th - 20th October 2020 Harrogate Convention Centre

Visit the website for up-to-date news and information

More brands returning for the October show Space available!

#harrogatenurseryfair #nurseryfair #babytradeshow

@harrogatenurseryfair

www.nurseryfair.com

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NURSERY FAIR 2020

Harrogate International Nursery Fair 2020 - why the UK’s only trade show for the nursery industry is more important than ever.

Above: The HINF will take place at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Main picture: Buyers will be able to see brands face-to-face for the first time in several months.

High Hopes For

HARROGATE W ith the COVID-19 pandemic forcing a UK wide lockdown from 23 March, just a week before the Harrogate International Nursery Fair was due to take place; the team had to quickly adjust to the news the show would not take place as hoped and that alternative plans would need to be made. With what at first seemed devastating news for the UK’s only trade show for the nursery industry, the need to change the dates of the show has led to a positive surge in interest for the postponed show. PPS talks to the HINF team, as well as exhibitors and visitors about why this year’s show is more important than ever.

The HINF is now scheduled to take place from Sunday 18 until Tuesday 20 October 2020 at the Harrogate Convention Centre. With more than 70 brands already signed up to exhibit at the show, showcasing a wide range of products for the nursery sector, the team are expecting this number to increase over the coming months.

“We have been pleasantly surprised by interest from companies who

have now decided to participate at the show for the dates in October, some of whom haven’t exhibited at Harrogate for many years, ” explains event organiser, Adrian Sneyd, “We have also been approached by companies unable to attend Kind + Jugend, Cologne requesting much larger stand spaces than they have had previously as it will be their only opportunity to present new products to the industry for more than a year.”

With the show being postponed so close to the initial dates, the team are really looking forward to opening the doors to exhibitors and retailers come October where the whole industry can come together face-to-face, network and see all the new product and innovation the nursery industry is so famous for. Adrian continues, “The challenges have been far beyond the imagination of anyone in the event industry - so when the doors open in October it truly will feel like an epic achievement for the whole team!”

Having kept in touch with both

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Taking place 22-23 June, Nursery Online organised a digital preview to the HINF, allowing exhibitors to demonstrate their products to retailers and for the industry to come together ‘virtually’ for some long overdue networking. Kerry Haynes, publishing director for Nursery Online, tells PPS about how this innovative event came to fruition: “ When lockdown began and it became evident that the HINF would not take place in March, or June as had been planned, we approached the team to offer an alternative solution, which we hoped would help retailers see brands in one easy-to-access place while face-toface meetings were not possible.”

As stores have reopened, retailers of all sizes are trying to catch up with the ongoing demand and the Digital Preview Show aimed to help them plan their new stock from the comfort of their home or store.

With 25 brands taking part and 400 show visitors over the two days, we were really pleased to see traffic to the digital showrooms spike. We hope in doing this digital event, it will encourage more brands to exhibit and retailers to visit in October.” exhibitors and retailers over the last three months the team are confident that the HINF 2020 will be one to remember. Visitors to the show are looking forward to being able to see what new products are available to order from both brands they already work with, as well as new brands they have not come across before and exhibitors are excited about showcasing what they have to offer.

The team are obviously keen to reassure both exhibitors and visitors that their priority will be to ensure the safety of everyone involved. “We will be following government guidelines at the time and will be working closely with the Harrogate Convention Centre to ensure that measures are in place to allow adequate social distancing and sanitation facilities and with everyone’ cooperation we should be able to enjoy a fantastic, safe event.” 

The Harrogate International Nursery Fair will take place 18 - 20 October 2020 at the Harrogate Convention Centre. For further information on exhibiting or visiting the show please visit www.nurseryfair.com PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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PPS spoke to retailers and suppliers about why they will visit Harrogate International Nursery Fair.

Chris Grech-Chini Sales Manager, Baby Jogger “This will actually be Baby Jogger’s first time exhibiting at the Harrogate International Nursery Fair so we are very excited! We decided to exhibit at Harrogate to be able to meet with existing and new customers, show our products and share our expertise with them. I think that in the current climate it is more important than ever to communicate and share with our customers and Harrogate is the perfect place to do that.

The show is the perfect place to see nursery brands in all their glory under one roof. It offers retailers attending some great opportunities from finding new products to seeking out the latest deals, understanding the shifts in market trends and for

creating new business connections and relationships. Harrogate is a beautiful location, where the atmosphere is buzzing and is a great place to get to know everyone, let your hair down and have a little fun with the all the lovely people in our industry! As a first time exhibitor we are looking forward to making lots of memories this year!”

Fiona Suffield UK and Ireland Country Manager, ABC Design.

“For us at ABC Design, the look forward to giving Harrogate International everyone a warm Nursery Fair is key to welcome. I think this providing our retailers with will be even more updates and new releases. successful as it will be It is great to have this in a first view for many the UK as we are on home retailers to some soil and it is such a lovely brands. community atmosphere To summarise, whenever I attend. It’s a HINF is a must attend much more personal show for any UK retailer. than the larger exhibitions.

This will be a fantastic We were so close to opportunity to the show and prepared with lots of purchase products from the smallest to appointments booked, so initially when largest brands. You can expect to see it was cancelled we were worried later brand new products and be the first in the year it wouldn’t have the same to order them for your store. It is also impact. However, as it looks like other a great place to network and connect shows may not take place, this could with people. Everyone is so friendly and be the key event for us of the year and welcoming. Don’t miss it!”

Matt Dyson Director, Rockit “This will be the fourth time we have exhibited at Harrogate. The first back in 2016 was before we launched Rockit and we only had a prototype back then, but the reaction was incredible. That show really kick-started our success, so with a new product to launch once again exhibiting at Harrogate in 2020 was a must for us. It’s also the perfect opportunity to catch up with some of our distributors and many of the retailers.

The feedback we get at the show is vital for us to develop and improve our product range.

There is so much innovation going on in the nursery product sector within the UK at present. If you miss the show, you might miss the next big thing. Harrogate is such a friendly and accessible show and the town itself is the perfect backdrop.

My fondest memory was nervously setting up for our first ever show in 2016 and seasoned exhibitors popping over to our stand. So many of them were really complimentary about our prototype Rockit and gave us lots of valuable advice.

Many have gone on to become friends and it’s always great to catch up again at Harrogate.”

Paul Roberts Managing Director, Mee-Go and Director, Emmaljunga “We have been exhibiting at the Harrogate International the quality time to see their Nursery Fair on and off for over 14 years, but this will be the ranges and promotions. third year in a row we have exhibited with a larger space. We With the amount of hard find it gives us a great chance to meet new and current business work that goes into the show owners and buyers, merchandisers and marketing teams. from the stand build, to We believe the delay to the show for 2020 will be a positive new product development, thing as many people will still not want to board a flight to go to getting a positive response international exhibitions. This is the first chance for the industry from valued customers is to come together for months and we believe the industry will always rewarding. My fondest reunite and drive the best show for years. memories are Harrogate itself Our advice for nursery buyers coming to the show would be and the whole positive vibe take the time to look at those companies exhibiting and make we get in the show and outside in the bars and restaurants. The appointments at the show before arriving to ensure they get after show party always throws up memories also !”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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NURSERY FAIR 2020

John Carolan Head of Baby, Boots “Across my various head of buying roles I’ve always been aware of the importance of Harrogate International Nursery Fair. In my recent new role as head of baby at Boots, this year’s show will be more important than ever and I’m excited to see which brands - big and small - will be at the show. Right now, new and innovative product development is vital for multichannel and so I’ll be exploring the show in great detail this year - and of course it’s always a pleasure to visit Harrogate in wonderful Yorkshire.”

Erin Hook Assistant Buyer Prams & Nursery - Bentalls “British shows are vital. Even if I find one gem within a show I consider it a hugely worthwhile trip and that’s almost always the case at Harrogate International Nursery Fair. As well as the product sourcing side, Nursery Fair is a really useful networking tool, even if we’ve seen the product already - it’s worth refreshing memories. What a buyer can get out of a show in one or two days would take weeks and weeks from an office - and with this being the only UK nursery trade show I am a firm believer that all buyers should get there and all major and emerging brands should have a presence.”

Sam Dickman Manager A3 Baby Barn “We are planning on visiting the Harrogate International Nursery Fair this year and will be using it to touch base with existing suppliers and to see their new products and colourways.

Getting show discounts is also a bonus! It is always a great opportunity to see everybody all in the same place.

As a business it is more financially beneficial to attend one event rather than lots all over the year. Plus, it also gives us more time to spend in our shops. We also like being able to catch up with fellow retailers at the show, which in the current climate will be more important than ever to share Victoria Hampson Owner, Natural Baby Shower “We had planned to go on the original dates for the Harrogate International Nursery Fair, so we will definitely be making plans to go in October, COVID-19 dependent of course! Also, with foreign shows looking doubtful this year, we may take the opportunity to take a larger team to really make the most of the show, see our suppliers and scout out new opportunities. With the current situation meaning we have all been having zoom meetings and phone call updates from our suppliers, it will be great to catch up with them properly and see them face to face. It’s always exciting to see what they have coming up in the next few months, new product launches and any exciting news that Lisa Rutherford Partner & Buyer, nursery, John Lewis “Pending travel restrictions, Harrogate International Nursery Fair is absolutely on my list. Having moved onto the nursery buyer role for John Lewis I have heard lots of positive reviews about Nursery Fair - some really great things. As such it’d be my first trip there which I’d be truly excited about. For the foreseeable future shows like this will be really important as we won’t have seen suppliers for some time, we’ll get that amazing chance to touch and feel product, and with the nursery trade being buoyant it’s a chance to see what

our recent experiences. We are always on the lookout for new, unique and innovative products. For us to stock a product in the shop it has to have good USPs and Harrogate is always a good place to find interesting new brands to work with.”

we as a retailer can get behind. We also love to use the shows to go on the hunt for new and exciting brands that fit with our eco ethos and spot those new products that we think our customers would love.

We normally come away with a good list of exciting new opportunities and brands that we add to the wish list.”

else is out there - from small emerging brands to newness from the major names. Nothing beats dealing with product and people in the good old fashioned way - face to face.”

Find out more at www.nurseryfair.com PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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“Delivering innovation, “Delivering innovation, qualityquality and value on time....every and value on time....every time.” time.”

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Toy Advert.indd 1 68_PPS_May June 2020.indd 1

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

BABY CARE DURING COVID-19

A

“

lmost all product markets have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in one way or another this year and baby care is no exception, with the total category declining by 27% and 22% in value and volume, respectively (year-to-date). 2019 had already been already a difficult year for the sector with ongoing economic uncertainty, negative consumer confidence and a shift toward secondhand buying; this year so far has only served to deepen these issues.

Baby care’s YOY decline has accelerated through the year, with value growth for the quarter to May falling to 35% and April recording the sharpest drop of 47%. All baby care categories have contributed to this decline with the exception of bottle warmers/ sterilisers and baby monitors, which achieved value uplifts of 23% and 13% respectively for the last three months.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the transport categories were the most negatively affected as the UK settled into lockdown. Value within the car seat and stroller markets fell sharply from March to May 2020 (by 49% and 48% respectively), as restrictions placed on leaving home affected first-time buyers as well as those looking at replacing or upgrading existing models.

Although strollers will have been used more by parents during the lockdown period, the steep recent value declines were seen across all main segments of the category. The 3-in-1 travel system category did see some volume growth however, thanks to an increase from <£200 models, indicating that there is still some opportunity with quality models at a reasonable price point.

Sticking with more positive themes,

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As one of the world’s largest market research companies, GfK offers retailers and suppliers valuable insight into the way people live, think and shop.

Here, client insight manager Marco Salerno takes takes a look back at how the baby care market has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

baby monitors have seen a big swing in their performance in the last three months, with a 2% annual value decline turning into 13% growth.

Wireless ‘smart’ models drove this, with the subcategory growing 210% over the year-to-date period as a whole after a disappointing performance in 2019. Although partly led by price promotions, growth here is seen across various price points and brands.

The underlying trend of sales shifting from in-store towards online is one we’ve seen for years but has been hugely accelerated through store closures in lockdown. The proportion of online value sales across the baby care category has risen from 42% (Jan – May 2019) to 53% for the same period in 2020, reaching as high as 83% in April. In the case of premium categories such as car seats, strollers and highchairs this is

Below: The impact of Covid-19 on the baby care category has been significant.

Above: It is unclear what effect Covid-19 restrictions will have on long-term shopping patterns.

perhaps unsurprising, but even for lowerend categories there is a strong movement despite supermarkets remaining open. Over a quarter of all soothers and baby tableware items were bought online in April 2020, compared to less than 10% in the same month last year.

It’s still too early to accurately predict the long-term impact of Covid-19 on consumer shopping habits but the preference towards online buying looks set to continue in the short term, although that growth can’t be relied upon on to offset the steep drop of in-store sales.”

Source: GfK Point of Sales Tracking | Durable consumer goods market | Data update: May 2020

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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KIDS INSIGHTS COLUMNIST

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

Parents Insights offers a look at the nuances and similarities between the UK and US when it comes to the preschool toys and games category.

B

y collecting data continuously, Kids Insights is able to uncover current, emerging and flash trends – as well as better understanding the attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns of children across Europe – including the nuances and similarities between markets. The latter of which we can see when we explore some of the key areas and properties across continents. It is for this reason that global brands cannot adopt one strategy to suit all.

Firstly, when looking at the route to market in the UK and US, we can start to understand the differences in the preschool arena. In the UK, Smyths Toys remains the top high street shop for preschool aged boys (13.1%). Along with The Entertainer and toy shops,

Below: Licensing is one of the key driving forces for toy sales in the preschool age group, but the universe is vast.

they are the combined favourite retailers for 20.6% of these boys and both retailers have seen the number choosing them as favourite store increasing across 2018-19.

Likewise, for girls aged 3-5, Smyths Toys is also their top favourite high street shop (8.7%), 3.4 percentage points ahead of second place Primark, showcasing gender’s more pronounced appetite for fashion.

In comparison to the UK, the high street landscape in the US presents a rather different picture. As opposed to toy shops, hypermarkets Walmart and Target are the most popular stores for younger boys and girls (up to third grade) and in the world’s biggest toy market, Walmart’s popularity increased between 2018-19 to reach 16.9%. Popularity of these stores has seen major partnerships with entertainment companies – Walmart and Eko and Target and Disney, for example – rivalling the likes of Amazon and offering in-store shops selling exclusive

27

products. This illustrates how in the US, stalwart retailers are competing on more than just price, creating imaginative partnerships and exclusive customer experiences.

What might we see along a similar vein in the UK or will the strategy of brands be different altogether?

Where we see differences in terms of route to market, we see similarities in the types of toys considered favourites across the pond. In the UK, PAW Patrol was the second most favourite toy for preschool boys (8.4%) behind LEGO; this was the same picture in the US where 10.2% of boys the same age say PAW Patrol is their favourite toy, again, second only to LEGO. That said, there are nuances when we look at licensing products sold among this preschool group.

While toys are the number one product owned in relation to their favourite TV show in both markets - confirming licensing is one of the key driving forces in toy sales for this demographic - preschoolers in the US buy into this much more than those in the UK (65% vs. 46% in the UK) and 76% have purchased toys relating to PAW Patrol.

In 2020, we have already seen an expansion of licensing products to move into different areas of the kids ecosystems with the launch of PAW Patrol audio play-sets, where children can listen to adventures based on the popular toy lines.

What will be most interesting is to see how licensing product and entertainment changes among this group, and what distinctions we’ll see emerge between the US and UK. And how will COVID-19 further affect this?

In 2020 Kids Insights launched a new set of Global Insight Reports. Released across the year, the reports cover eight sectors, including Toys & Games, Video Games, Food & Drinks, Electronics, Health & Beauty, Clothing, Marketing Engaging Kids Executive. The reports are based on surveying 150,000 children across nine countries across four continents each year and this article is a brief snapshot specifically focusing on the Toys & Games Report 2020 and the UK and US markets specifically.

To receive further information and details of how to purchase a copy of the 60-page report, please visit https:// kidsinsights.com/global-toy-report/.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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WHAT’S NEW GALT The latest new products from GALT Toys.

FEELY FARM PUZZLE Feely Farm Puzzles are the perfect first introduction to puzzles for babies ages 12 months and up. The colourful wooden pieces feature adorable animal designs with various textures to support baby’s sensory development, while also encouraging hand-eye coordination and colour awareness. Feely Farm Puzzles are crafted from quality wood for increased durability.

ANTARCTICA GAME

LEARN MATHS

MAGNETIC FARM PUZZLE

Learn Maths is an entertaining addition to the Galt Puzzles range, encouraging children aged four years and up to learn to count, add, subtract and multiply in a fun and exciting way. The handy carry case is ideal for storage and travel, containing number tiles and cards for 83 exercises across six different levels of activity which can be practised together, or independently.

Magnetic Farm Puzzles are a delightful addition to the Galt First Years range. Suitable for ages 12 months and up, these six fun two-piece magnetic wooden animal puzzles are perfect for little hands to take apart and put back together as they develop their fine motor skills. They’re supplied in a reusable cotton bag for ease of travel and crafted from durable quality wood.

Parents can test their child’s memory skills with the Antarctica Game from Galt as they try to remember where the baby seals are hiding and return them safely home. Encouraging numeracy skills and colour recognition, this delightfully colourful game with chunky, durable pieces is an ideal introduction to board games for children aged two and up.

LEARN TO DRAW

3 LITTLE PIGS GAME

Budding artists aged four and up can learn to draw with this new set from Galt. Choose from 30 different templates and create each image in just four simple steps by using the drawing case and light projector to trace the image that magically appears on the paper. Encouraging fine motor skills and creative activity, it’s the ideal introduction to the wonderful world of art.

Bring a beloved fairy tale to life with the 3 Little Pigs Game from Galt. Featuring chunky wooden pieces, colourful game board and 3D house, the 3 Little Pigs Game offers a perfect introduction to board games, encouraging colour recognition, storytelling, gameplay and teamwork for players aged two years and up.

Tel: 0161 4289111

www.galttoys.com

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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GOOD PLAY GUIDE COLUMNIST

ASK A WORLD OF WELLNESS ANNA

“The second quarter of 2020 found the world in an unprecedented situation. A global pandemic and subsequent lockdown was a situation none of us had ever experienced. As such the effect on children is largely as yet, unknown. But as the threat of the physical illness begins to gradually subside, attentions are turning to mental wellbeing and getting ourselves and our children back on an even keel.

There are some products and companies who are already focused on this category, but the market is about to explode, leaving room for innovative, well-researched products, toys and aids for little ones.

Wellness in preschoolers begins with helping them to understand and manage emotions, supporting them in starting to talk about their worries and concerns.

It’s perhaps more important than ever to get these products spot on though and thorough research with experienced psychologists is the best way to ensure you are getting the product right for the preschool market.

A preschooler’s understanding of feelings, emotions and how to regulate them through talking, playing and creating calm, happy experiences is key for mental health later in life. With the challenges currently faced by children across the world, our industries can look to create products to help them achieve this.”

LEARNING RESCOURCES PLAYFOAM (3 - 6 YRS)

Anna Taylor is a researcher at Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide, an organisation dedicated to helping children learn and develop through play.

GoodPlayGuide.com BOY AND GIRL HAND PUPPETS - FIESTA CRAFTS (3-5 YRS) Puppets are a great way to encourage children to talk and act out scenarios. This can often lead to them playing out situations that are playing on their minds, and also to start talking about their emotions via the puppet.

Above: Puppets can help children work out their feelings.

SKYLARK LEARNING MY FIRST EMOTIONS (18 MNTHS - 3 YRS)

Above: My First Emotion activity ideas can help bring emotions to life.

CAMPBELL BOOKS BIG STEPS SERIES (18MNTHS - 3 YRS) The Big Steps series of books is designed to help preschoolers cope with everyday experiences in their lives by explaining what may happen and showing characters going through the same thing. Stories like these can help reduce anxiety for children preparing for new experiences such as potty training, starting nursery, or welcoming a new baby. The books also include helpful tips from our own Dr Gummer to help parents support their child.

Below: Big Step books help address key events in children’s lives.

My First Emotions is specifically designed by experts to help young children learn to understand and manage their emotions. We found the set got children very interested in learning about emotions. The set includes a wide range of resources including a range of multi-sensory, connected tools and activity ideas to help parents bring emotions to life.

Playfoam is a great sensory or fidget toy which can help children to create a calm environment and focus on something other than what may be worrying or upsetting them. We found it gives lots of opportunities for children to get creative too, which can support positive feelings.

Below: Playfoam is ideal for sensory play.

BENEFITS OF PRESCHOOL WELLNESS PRODUCTS: T Research shows that over half of mental health problems in adulthood begin by age 14, so it’s important for children to be able to talk about emotions, create environments to help them manage feelings and understand them.

T Helping young children to understand feelings and emotions and talk about them can help them to manage their mental health later in life.

T Making time for calm, relaxed activities can help little ones to better regulate their emotions.

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INDUSTRY FEEDBACK 31

BUSINESS IN LOCKDOWN PPS speaks to a number of preschool suppliers and retailers to find out more about how they adapted their businesses over the past three months to cope with lockdown and what concerns they have going forward as restrictions begin to ease.

E-commerce Is Essential “ Although we had to close our showroom following the initial lockdown announcement, this had little impact on business as e-commerce is our strength.

In the first few weeks, we experienced an instant surge in online orders, with traffic more than doubling overnight.

We started taking online bookings ABOVE: Mohammed has from Monday 15 June onwards for private been offering customers a blend appointments at our Dewsbury showroom of online and and so far, we’ve had great interest in this. personal shopping Depending on how social distancing rules experiences. progress, we anticipate there will be huge appetite for one-to-one appointments in the long term and we will potentially need to recruit specifically for this role.

Shopping for baby essentials is not a process we’d advise to be rushed, so by introducing a personal shopping experience, it will allow us to give customers the time and attention necessary.

While we’ve seen expectant parents turn to online shopping during this period, a lot of baby products such as car seats and strollers are one-off purchases, so people often like to ‘touch and feel’ before buying. Over recent years, we’ve seen a shift in consumer behaviour, where consumers would come in to store for demonstrations and also make their decisions in store, but end up buying online. I don’t envisage this changing, but now that customers know they can make purchases from the comfort of their own home, we will see this become more popular.

This recent period has certainly reaffirmed to us that the future of retail is online, so whether you have a physical store or not, being able to deliver using an e-commerce platform is essential. ” Mohammed Patel md, Kiddies Kingdom (Dewsbury)

Profit Is Key “ Our office went down to just one person as it was just too impractical to have any more people in together. Initially, our warehouse closed for a week while we thought through implications, then we re-opened for a couple of days a week to ensure social distancing through strict ABOVE: Logistics and scheduling of orders. profit will be key going Morale was definitely the hardest part. forward, says Gaynor.

We came off the back of a very productive trip to see some of our production partners and then some very successful trade shows, so we are all very fired up and ready to go. And then everything stopped.

I think most people believe that this is the start of a new normal and we will continue to have lockdowns and periods where shops may not be able to trade freely. However, I think that the preschool sector is incredibly lucky that babies will continue to be born and celebrated, kids will have birthdays and families will continue to buy their children toys. Both internet and ‘buy local’ will impact heavily on consumers purchasing decisions, and we will support our retailers to exploit these opportunities.

Logistics and profit will be key. As other countries manage the virus some producers will not be able to manufacture goods in the same way or the same volume. We anticipate some range shortages for AW2020 but also some hideous discounting as some retailers panic. The key will be to sell ranges where there is sufficient supply, but no one is trying to off load quantity at ridiculous prices.

Our pastel toys have been wildly popular as consumers buy baby hampers and baby gifts to send to friends/family. We have also done very well with our rainbow toys especially our fair trade, handmade crochet rainbow rattle. ” Gaynor Humphrey commercial director, Best Years

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P6SH PAWS

INTERNATIONAL

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8

+44 (0) 1268 567317

0

sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk

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INDUSTRY FEEDBACK 33 Planning For The Future “ We have had challenges on orders from most bricks and mortar retail stores. This was an immediate blow for the business and the initial period was spent doing damage control.

The leaders within the business have been having weekly calls and often bi-weekly in the early stages to allow for critical decisions to be made. As a privately owned business, we can ABOVE: HTI has been fortunate in act quickly and in turn helps us survive. remaining just as For our team, there was a big change to strong across all adapting to work from home and ensuring of its categories, says Michelle. people adjust. It’s been a rollercoaster professionally and personally for most, so ensuring people are okay has been just as important.

From a business perspective, we have kept a fully-staffed product development and design team to ensure we are ready for 2021 launches and ranges – it was important to keep those cogs in the business moving as we are constantly planning for the future.

Our sales team are in regular dialogue with the national accounts - their biggest challenge trying to balance supporting them as customers while also asking for their support back. We are all in this with one common goal and this is to maintain good business levels, so always believe this should be a partnership.

Despite some initial big asks from retailers, overall, we feel that reasonable terms have been agreed on both sides. Orders have been cancelled yes, but we have also managed to secure new orders and have also had acceptance on postponing orders.

All the obvious products such as games/puzzles from our pocket money category have performed well, along outdoor products.

We have been fortunate in remaining just as strong across all our categories such as vehicles, prams and scooters.

There are some potential new ways of working for this year as we know travel will be limited which affects how we do any of our customer meetings, therefore we need to be prepared for virtual previews with customers even once the restrictions have been lifted. ” Michelle Dalziel senior licensing and marketing manager, HTI BELOW: Inside Out Toys has taken on the distribution for Viking Toys’ Ecoline, which are made of sugar cane.

Adapt To Survive “ Our trade business all but ground to a halt overnight, as our trade customers were having to close their doors to shoppers. But some, who either already had an online presence or ABOVE: Inside Out Toys has added managed to adapt quickly, two new brands to were able to start offering its roster in recent months, says Nikki. home deliveries, so trade orders started to come in again. We have used this ‘down’ time to focus on our strategy to become the best distributor of sustainable toys in the UK – and succeeded in adding the Tikiri brand of natural rubber and organic cotton baby toys to our portfolio last month.

Very recently we managed to finalise an agreement to become the UK distributor for Viking Toys and its Ecoline of environmentally friendly ‘plastic’ toys made from sugar cane which we are sure our customers will love. We also have another exciting distributor agreement in the pipeline, which we hope to be able to announce in the next few weeks.

Sadly, many traditional toy and gift shops may not survive this pandemic, as the impact on the high street shop will have been huge. We believe that those who have been able to adapt to selling online for example, will survive. Smaller, more agile businesses are likely to be able to react more quickly to the challenges ahead, as we have done. To help customers selling on their own websites, we are making all our product and lifestyle images available to download via Dropbox.

Customers continue to search out environmentally-friendly alternatives to cheap, plastic toys and we believe that focusing on sustainability is the way forward.

Buying habits are definitely changing as consumers become more and more aware of what they purchase and its impact on the world we live in. Surprisingly (you might think), some of our more expensive items, like the Studio Circus Baby Walker, have continued to sell well during lockdown.

From a business perspective, you could perhaps forget how important good staff are to the running of your business. We are fortunate to have a fantastic small, but dedicated team around us who have made a difficult time so much easier to bear.

Hopefully, many bigger companies will also realise that their people are their strength – never more so, than during a crisis. ” Nikki Garner marketing director, Inside Out Toys

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INDUSTRY FEEDBACK 35

INSET: The Hippychick team – including Alan (seen here back left) – have been practising social distancing at work.

A Positive Outlook “ Business has been surprisingly very busy, thanks to the retailers that are able to operate online. All of our toys and some of our nursery brands have been in high demand and maintaining stock levels has been challenging due to the production and delivery delays during the crisis.

We are excited and looking forward to engaging with our retailers as they start to open back up, especially the physical stores as this side of the trade business has stopped dead in its tracks. We have also made sure that stock will be replenished throughout the summer months to meet the expected increase in demand for our key brands.

We think the consumer mood will be very positive and as lockdown measures ease further they will be pleased to be able to venture out to the high street and visit the retailers again for their purchases. The independent retailers we truly hope will see an increase in footfall and will be busy than ever before as we come out of this crisis over the coming months.

We are looking forward to engaging and connecting with our retail partners again that we have been unable to work with over the past few months and we look forward to attending consumer and trade shows and gradually returning to a sense of normality. All of us here, just like everyone else, cannot wait to be able to meet up with our families and socialise again as lockdown eases. ” Alan Houghton sales manager, Hippychick

Dealing With Delays “ As a small, agile brand we have been far less affected than we feared. The biggest change has been adapting to working from home with all the distractions that that brings. Conducting meetings over Zoom has also had some teething problems with poor broadband in rural Somerset and we have missed meeting people face-to-face.

ABOVE: Matt has Shipping delays have been the biggest challenge been struck by the for us. We were due to launch our new product supportive attitude Zed back in March, but delays at the factory that people have shown throughout and subsequent reduced demand for container the industry. shipping has pushed that back until the beginning of July. The extra time has been put to good use however, with additional efforts going into marketing the launch and updating our website.

Our biggest concern is the prospect of a long recession and that affecting consumer spending. We have seen strong sales during the lockdown and we are confident that there will still be plenty of demand for our products moving forward – something to help babies sleep is often high on new parents’ shopping lists.

The extra time we have had over the lockdown has meant we have been more proactive on our social media channels. Mums and Dads have been much more active on Instagram during the days and we have been engaging with them to answer questions and provide interesting content.

Rockit has sold very well over this challenging period. I guess the early restriction of only one walk a day meant parents needed to find other ways of soothing their babies and Rockit fits that bill perfectly.

Support for the independent retailers is vital so they can hopefully rebuild their businesses and flourish once again. Nothing beats being able to see products and try them in-store. We are really pleased that BabyStyle are our UK distributor as they are well-known for supporting the indies.

On both a personal and business level, I have been struck by the ‘We’re in this together’ attitude that people have shown. We work with distributors in 50 countries around the world and it’s been great to support one another with advice and share our stories both positive and less so. ” Matt Dyson director, Rockit

A Team Effort “ Like all global businesses, we have of course, been affected by this crisis, particularly due to the changes in retail. However, by working together and continuing to offer innovative and in-demand products, we’ve managed to retain a strong market share across our ABOVE: Customers brands. We know that there’s a huge have wanted to demand to entertain and educate children – feel connected and it’s important we’re able to continue to and supported, says Andrew. offer products that do this.

With the incredible weather and families wanting to make the most of their time in the garden, our Little Tikes brand has been doing extremely well – there’s huge demand for some of our iconic sandpits, water tables and other outdoor products. As we have our own retail site for this brand, we’ve been able to meet customer demand, while ensuring our team are all working safely in the current conditions.

As sales have grown, we’ve invested further in customer

service and digital communications to ensure our customers feel supported and are kept up-to-date on any developments during this time. More than ever, strong customer communication is vital to our industry – consumers want to know how, as a company, we are responding to the crisis, looking after our staff and delivering on orders. They want to feel connected and supported.

I think the biggest positive has been seeing how, despite the difficulties, the team in the UK and globally have worked together so well. There has been a real feeling of being ‘all in this’ together which has kept morale high despite the challenges. Equally, being able to do something positive – as a business – to help those on the frontline of this crisis has been extremely rewarding. In the UK, our Operation Pac-Man has delivered over 35,000 pieces of PPE (including masks and goggles) and over £150,000 worth of toys to UK hospitals – and in the US, our team are developing full-face masks for doctors and ventilator masks for patients. ”

Andrew Laughton svp, MGA UK

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INDUSTRY FEEDBACK 37 Keeping It Clean “ Cleaning products have been very much in demand during this time.

However, it has been challenging for our small team to secure enough supplies to ensure our products remain in stock so ABOVE: The increased demand we can fulfil our orders. We for antibacterial cleaning products have had to allocate more time each day to send emails has been a boost for Von. and make phone calls to update all our stakeholders of their orders and manage expectations.

We have been working with our suppliers more closely to guarantee our stock arrives on time and have remained in regular communication with all our customers, making sure their needs are met.

The biggest success so far has been working with the Sainsbury’s team to keep continuity of supply, especially at the peak of Covid-19 in March. We are very proud of this as it meant we were able to help Sainsbury’s customers maintain a clean and hygienic home for their little ones during such a stressful time. Our Sticky Stopper range has been in significant demand as it is also an antibacterial spray.

As a sector, we need to provide assurance and a sense of normality for our customers.

They are already worried and stressed, so we have to offer helpful information. On a business level, my team and I are learning to work more closely and effectively by facing adversity together. ” Von Sy founder, Nimble

Keeping It In Perspective “ On the whole we have been able to adapt very efficiently to the new ways of working without any apparent disruption. We are very lucky that the whole Red Kite team has pulled together to make sure we have not suffered too much interruptions to trading.

We believe the main sales channels and ABOVE: Debra has demands will remain as consumers continue her fingers crossed for a baby boom towards to have babies so would hope that demand for nursery and preschool products will naturally the end of the year. continue. There is also talk of a potential baby boom in a few months time which will generate new demand!

As expected, key winners have been our online retailers who are experiencing bumper sales and demands at the moment. The disadvantage is that while there is a lot of information and guidance available online, this doesn’t always compensate for the experience and advice a specialist retailer can provide.

We are fortunate that we supply many different products across a range of categories and have found in particular that all of our baby walkers and entertainers, highchairs, bouncers and swings and all play lines are selling so strongly that we are literally unable to keep up with demand despite increased supply from our factories.

We work very closely with our Far East suppliers and luckily they have stepped up to support us with this increased demand. It will be a challenge to introduce new products to market without trade shows or face-to-face meetings scheduled for the immediate future but we will work out new ways of working.

I think as a business it is really encouraging to see how we have all pulled together in such a quick and positive manner. I think the bigger picture is also appreciating what we have. When we can all see the suffering that so many people are having to go through both financially and personally, it makes you very grateful for the simpler things and puts a lot of the daily stress into perspective. ” Debra Tucker director, Red Kite BELOW: Eve’s Toy Shop is looking forward to being able to open soon.

Community Spirit “ As we are in Wales we are not able to re-open our shop just yet as the regulations are different to England unfortunately. However, we are still busy with our online sales and we are getting daily orders so that has been keeping us busy.

We have seen a really nice ABOVE: Eve’s community spirit and have a lot of Toy Shop has support from local families which been keeping busy has been great and we have offered with online sales, says Jayne. pick-up from the shop which many customers have appreciated. Generally the popular products over the past few weeks have been fairly predictable – outdoor and educational toys.

Hopefully we will be able to re-open soon, but in the meantime we are continuing to get the store ready for when we can re-open – my store cupboards have never been so tidy! ” Jayne Rees owner, Eve’s Toy Shop (Llandeilo) PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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FOCUS ON: THE GREAT OUTDOORS

PPS catches up with a number of suppliers which have been benefitting from the run of glorious weather and families looking to stock up on trampolines, scooters, bikes and other outdoor toys.

Let’s go outside I t was fortuitous that when lockdown hit at the end of March, the weather gods chose to smile on us, blessing the UK with some gloriously sunny days to help lift the nation’s mood.

It was also a boon for the outdoor toy sector – suddenly, our homes became the centre of everything and those lucky enough to have outside space rushed to make the most of it.

“There are usually some ‘winners’ in most situations and certainly if you sell activity/ outdoor toys like BERG, then referring to revenue, it has been a win-win this year so far, particularly through lockdown,” Peter Shaw, UK sales manager at BERG, tells PPS. “We

Above: Gazillion Bubbles has seen “unprecedented demand” says Funrise.

are experiencing historic best ever sales months; really incredible.”

This has, inevitably, lead to some stock issues, however. “We have faced and still continue to have many challenges throughout the company,” continues Peter. “Because

Right: Hippychick has been doing well with its Trybike and Wheelybug ranges.

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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of increased demand, we see stock production and availability issues, so we have increased labour force and shift hours. Back office support teams have been flat out with more order processing and queries. Lack of personal face to face account management with customers has also been challenging, so additional software for individual/group chats has been implemented.

Home offices/IT have been set up throughout lockdown workforce.

“BERG sells pedal go karts and trampolines; the main sellers at this time for us have been trampolines.

With such high sales numbers, stock issues have been inevitable.”

Hippychick has enjoyed particularly strong sales of the Trybike, with a 400% increase in sales leading to it being out of stock with challenges of getting hold of more, says co-md Jeremy Minchin.

The Wheelybug has also performed well throughout the period.

“Our biggest online retailers have remained strong, as have some of the chains that have lots of stores, but also a strong website,” he comments.

“The stores that were weak online have suffered sadly and I very much hope that they will see a return to the traditional customer engagement face to face.” Jeremy has also been impressed with how some independent retailers quickly adapted to the new situation: “Those that are brave enough, resourceful enough and determined enough to innovate and try different things will always get some reward.

There have been several online ‘Baby Shows’ – some of which have been very successful indeed, as well as Instagram and other social media campaigns that have all done well.”

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FOCUS ON: THE GREAT OUTDOORS Funrise’s commercial director, UK and Ireland, James Dixon, says the company has seen an “unprecedented demand” for its Gazillion Bubbles. He tells PPS: “Gazillion has been by far our bestselling brand and for some accounts sales are up 100% on last year. As soon as stock for premium Gazillion solution comes in, then it is shipped to retail. We are working to meet this demand by ordering more direct from our factory and by also listing other previously exclusive lines on our wider channels, such as the 1L Giant solution.

“A trail blazer in the nation’s love of Bubbles has been the Gazillion Tornado Bubble machine. It was really great to see it listed in April’s NPD list of top ten outdoor toys.”

Sales during the lockdown period were split across online channels and grocery, with both performing well, says James. In addition, a number of independents also placed orders and set up listings on Amazon Marketplace “which is really great to see especially as Amazon itself is continually selling through due to high demand”.

James continues: “Our Cat lines are also now showing an increase in demand as they make great outdoor toys, too. So with this being our first spring/summer with the property we are delighted to see them working well in the market place.”

FUTURE SALES

Although the UK enjoyed some unseasonably warm weather earlier in the year – helping the spike in outdoor toy sales – the fact we are only now entering summer proper means there are more sales to come. “[There’s] definitely more sales to come,” enthuses BERG Toys’ Peter. “We haven’t yet seen much of our summer business for trampolines; we have had our biggest two months turnover ever and its looking like we may make it a hat trick. Pedal go karts are selling more now also, due to restrictions lifting a little, so families can venture further out further.”

Hippychick’s Jeremy says that, while demand seems to be continuing, supply could become a challenge due to stock being depleted. “We need to focus attention on the lines that we have got strong stock of or are able to get resupplied more quickly than others,” he explains. “I have tried to second guess whether the

James is keen not to rest on his laurels though, with summer marketing campaigns for both Gazillion and Cat kicking off shortly which will include digital, influencer and parental strategies to keep product awareness high.

Inline skating has also experienced a spike in popularity over the past few months, with Google search data showing that searches tripled during May, says Microskaters’ Andreas Kolattek, with the term ‘rollerblades for kids’ rising by over 120%.

Andreas says the MJ skate has been ‘hugely popular’ among parents of toddlers “as it’s the only inline skate

good sales are reflective of people bringing their purchasing forward a bit, but the demand seems to be continuing, so I think it is more an indication of the forced change to shopping habits.”

Plum Products’ Paul, meanwhile, believes that holiday restrictions and families potentially not travelling abroad means that more will continue to be invested in the home environment. He tells PPS: “The increased demand we saw at the start is still there and we are planning for it to continue, so we need to ensure we have the goods available to keep going and a streamlined service in place.

We believe that with holiday restrictions and consumers not travelling abroad they will invest in their home and family, with strong sales throughout the summer continuing.”

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Above: The popularity of inline skates will endure through the summer months and beyond says Microskaters.

in the world that has been developed to support very young children”.

Andreas continues: “We knew that the MJ would take off as it’s so unique in its offering. We’ve also been supporting retailers by working with popular UK parenting influencers, such as Mudpie Fridays, who have been raving about the MJ and other skates from the kids range on social media. We anticipated a spike in demand and invested in product to ensure retailers had stock during the lockdown period.”

The company is predicting that this popularity will endure through the summer months and



Above: BERG has been experiencing some strong sales over the past few months.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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FOCUS ON: THE GREAT OUTDOORS beyond. “Once lockdown has been

lifted, many parents will also no doubt be keen for their children to once again socialise and meet new friends – at a safe distance, of course. Microskaters partners with Zebra Skate London, the hugely popular skate camp in Kensington and Battersea which is attended by hundreds of children every year.

The camps provide yet another opportunity to get the Microskaters kids range in front of children and parents, and to demonstrate the USPs of the range in a practical way.

“We also plan to keep sales high by continuing influencer marketing activity. We are also about to start working with a group of UK ambassadors, which is hugely exciting,” Andreas adds.

MV Sports says that it has struggled to keep brands such as Hedstrom and Kickmaster in constant stock, as well as bikes. “We have been coping, but would ask customers to be patient as it takes time to replenish our stocks from the Far East,” says Phil Ratcliffe, sales and marketing director at the company. “We are trying hard to get replenishments but inevitably on some lines it takes several weeks to get back into stock. The early warm weather has been a bonus because we should be able to take advantage of continued strong demand as we move into mid-summer. Also by clearing through inventory at retail it should give some of the larger nationals the confidence to stock up on wheeled toys as we look ahead to the important Christmas season.”

Phil adds: “I’ve been really impressed by some of the more entrepreneurial independents who have moved quickly to secure stock and take advantage of the upsurge in sales ahead of some of the larger slower moving retailers.”

Left: MV Sports says the early warm weather has been a bonus.

Paul Schaffer, md of Plum Products, says that trampolines in particular and all types of wooden outdoor play have been very successful. “We have worked very closely with our suppliers to meet the demand and to ensure key lines especially, are available as much as possible,” Paul comments.

“We have seen major online sales through all types of customers and sectors. It was also impressive to see how the independent sector

Below: Wooden outdoor play has been successful for Plum Products.

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was flexible in its approach when stores were closed. With the face to face relationship lost, it was all the more important to communicate and service the consumer to the highest level possible.”

With non-essential retail now open in England and Wales, and following on June 29 in Scotland (July 15 for indoor shopping centres), and summer stretching ahead of us as restrictions lift, there certainly seems like the potential for further strong sales in the outdoor toy sector remains.

RETAIL REACTIONS Retailers will need to continue to be flexible to meet consumers’ needs going forward when it comes to outdoor toys.

Plum Products’ Paul comments: “They will need to continue to be flexible, but also respectful of the current situation in their approach to consumers. As with any service, the right product mix will determine the winners and a strong online presence and service will see them through the summer.”

MV Sports’ Phil Ratcliffe believes that having a strong online presence is key at the moment, while bricks and mortar stores need to be able to provide a safe environment for shoppers. “Having staff front of store to help and direct consumers to the right section of the shop or even go and get the product for the customer are things that could help rekindle confidence,” he offers.

Microskaters’ Andreas points out that the ‘hands on’ shopping experience is particularly important for skates, with customers wanting

to try before they buy: “Customers may be asked to use antibacterial wipes or handwash before touching products and, for those trying on skates, disposable plastic socks can be provided to ensure no germs spread when they’re testing them out.”

The importance of a good online offering is also underlined

by Hippychick’s Jeremy: “Any store that does not already have a website needs to get this sorted, as I think that there will still be store loyalty and support from communities who want their retailers to succeed, but they will only be able to support them if they are accessible to their clientele – remotely as well as physically.

“They will also need to be very active within their geographical area in terms of spreading the word that they can do phone payment and collections, click and collect, web ordering, appointment visits to stores or whatever the customer wants.”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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NURSERY INDUSTRY UNITED

Come Together During the lockown period nursery suppliers have gone above and beyond in helping to keep the sector united, ensuring retailers can continue to provide an essential service to consumers looking to source essential parenting products. After all, those babies will keep coming and toddlers will continue to grow up!

PPS found out more.

T

he last few months have been a difficult time for everyone, but it has been particularly important for the nursery industry to find a way to help consumers, particularly new parents looking to starting their parenting journey without all the usual support network.

A number of companies were particularly instrumental in driving business and offering support during the pandemic restrictions, increasing retailers business and helping them find ways to keep going.

“Our main concern was for the retailers,” revealed David Welsh, managing director of Allison Baby UK, “so we ramped up our marketing support to help them secure online sales and deliver exceptional service to online customers.”

“Our business is traditionally skewed towards retail rather than online, so we have definitely seen that have an impact on our sales,” he continued. “We had to do something to redress the balance, so we got in touch with all our customers and independent stores and helped upgrade their webpages with new lifestyle and product images, videos and offered free direct-to-consumer deliveries. This approach has done well, we’ve managed to tip the scales a little in their favour and ours. We also took part in the first ever Online Baby Event which took place at the beginning of April, linking through to various online retailers to drive sales.”

Allison Baby has also been driving traffic towards retailer’s websites

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Above: Silver Cross launched four new travel systems during lockdown.

Left: Pushchair brand didofy is keeping one eye on the anticipated baby boom.

by embracing online activity across its own social media channels for Graco, Joie and Nuna. “We know that Instagram usage increased by 40% when we went into lockdown,” David offered. “In response, we increased our posting to the platform by 40%.”

The high street nursery market faces continued uncertainty and it was important to Allison Baby to show its commitment with real salesdriving support by bringing retailers’ shop floors to its social channels.

“Many of our retailers are like family to us. We couldn’t be on

HIGH HOPES

“Long-term we agree with many within the industry that a baby boom will follow in 2021, which will be great for our entire industry. In the short-term we want to ensure that we continue to support and grow our UK retailer network with our auto-folding Lotus and easy-folding Cosmos travel systems.”

Josephine Votsis, director, didofy PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

the road reassuring them of their value but we will do everything we can to support them through these tough market conditions.”

It’s been a similar story over at didofy, where director Josephine Votsis has been focusing on supporting retailers in any way possible.

“We’ve seen many retailers struggling with stock and logistics of fulfilling orders.” she said. “To help with that we have been offering free direct-to-consumer shipping so they don’t have to worry about that side of things at all. Parents need pushchairs and it is so important not to leave retailers without stock and consumers disappointed.”

In addition to supporting the care sector and NHS by producing over 1,000 visors for hospitals and care homes, didofy has also been supporting retailers online, with a weekly ‘Retailer Spotlight’ slot and by exhibiting at the Virtual Harrogate Preview event. “Driving online traffic and helping them fulfill orders has certainly been appreciated by our retailers,” added Josephine. “Those with an online presence have reported an increase in demand for didofy so our online marketing support has made a difference.”

“It is very important that the nursery industry remains united. Many retailers and brands are struggling so we need to support one another to get us through this period,” Josephine

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NURSERY INDUSTRY UNITED

45

HIGH HOPES “It’s been a tough, unexpected few months but it has been good to see the industry coming together – albeit not in person in shops and at shows. But a lot of good has come out of the situation we’ve found our businesses in. We’ve found new ways of working, of communicating and of selling. Now the challenge is to build on this, so that whatever lies ahead, we’ve secured our future as one of the industry’s leading nursery brands.”

David Welsh, managing director of Allison Baby UK

continued. “As an industry we are

stronger if we work together.”

It’s a sentiment which is echoed by David Abbott, global head of brand at Silver Cross, who approached lockdown with ‘a mission to keep our consumers informed and entertained’.

In a bold move, the British brand launched four new travel systems during lockdown rather than delaying the release, so all the usual in-store and event activity was redirected online, with consumers directed to their local stores wherever possible.

“Throughout the lockdown our priority has been to support our independent retailers wherever possible to ensure they are still able to serve their customers. We offered direct shipping, increased our social media activity and shared more content with our retailers so they could post more frequently and keep followers engaged.”

This activity included live product launches on Instagram, one-on-one product demos via Facebook and live Q&A sessions with designers and product experts. Collaborations with influencers and other nursery brands also creates fun and engaging content to keep parents and children entertained at home.

“We have had some incredible feedback from retailers who have thanked us for our support during lockdown and we are so grateful that they continue to support Silver Cross and Micralite,” said David.

“With consumers, we have seen incredible engagement in our digital launches and one-to-one demos and the feedback we have received on these has been invaluable.”

“Coming out of lockdown we are now working on a campaign to drive customers back to stores as our independent retailers are a hugely valued part of our business and are

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Above: The tonies team created a free Coronavirus audiobook to help children understand the pandemic..

Above right: Grabo has increased its online and social media activity Right: Toy versions of Roma Prams have been selling well during lockdown.

crucial to our continued success.”

Over at Roma Prams, director Molly Coleman believes it is ‘hugely important’ to remain united and is particularly grateful for the Facebook page Nursery Trade, which is headed up by Ian Davidson from Babylicious and Yas Ali from Babyland Fife.

“There are some particularly active members on there who have posted links to zoom calls to support each other,” she explained. “I have to give a shout out to Snuz’s Sam Tyack for starting the weekly calls, which have been amazing. For the retailers, there is also an NSG Covid-19 Support Group page dedicated to sharing information on how to help stores during this difficult time.

Roma always offered drop-shipping direct to the customer and this has continued to be a popular option during lockdown, along with zero MOQs. “Retailers have been really enthusiastic to support this model,” said Molly. “It’s a win-win situation for them. Now more than ever, customers are relying on online shopping. A large percentage of these are shopping through social media platforms.”

With this in mind, social media support has also been important and so Roma has been providing demonstration videos for retailers to share on their social media platforms.

HIGH HOPES

“I hope that we can learn from what the lockdown has shown us and integrate some of those findings into the business to strengthen our two incredible brands and continue to support our fantastic retailers.”

David Abbott, global head of brand, Silver Cross PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

“Even though the shop fronts are closed, we can still operate as normal for those active on Facebook and Instagram in particular,” she continued.

“At a time where customers can get frustrated about not being able to visit the store, Roma are hoping to cut out the middle man and support independent retailers in providing the customer service they’re known for.”

An increase in online activity was also a natural response for Manon Sel, UK general manager for tonies, the company behind children’s audio system Toniebox, which has increased the support, stock and promotional opportunities for its online retailers.

“We are also continuously checking in with physical store retailers to ensure we can support them as soon as they can open again,” said Manon.

“We also noticed that many parents were struggling to articulate the pandemic to their children,” he continued. “In response we created a free audiobook that explained the different aspects of Coronavirus in a safe, reassuring way, which was available to download on our website..

The feedback from parents was extremely positive and many found the audiobook a helpful resource.”

The Record & Share campaign also saw tonies embracing the power of words, with celebrities, NHS staff and the community reading and sharing their favourite stories, in order to raise awareness and funds for the NHS Charities Together. “It’s been a great way to unite people,” Manon added, “and shows just how important it is for us to stick together during this testing time.”

30/06/2020 10:56

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30/06/2020 13:58

NURSERY INDUSTRY

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WHAT’S NEW NURSERY PRODUCTS BEABA Innovative parenting brand Beaba has added a dining gift set to its collection of weaning accessories. Made from tough dishwasher-safe melamine and including a coordinating plate, bowl, cup and stainless-steel fork and spoon, this stylish dinner set is beautifully gift boxed and tastefully themed. Decorated with a delicate pattern design, the plate and bowl also include a non-slip base to help prevent sliding on the surface. There are two colourways available - light blue and pale pink.

Tel: 07931 717489 www.beaba.co.uk

SKIP HOP

AQUA WIPES

Skip Hop, the innovative parenting brand of ‘must-haves made better’ introduces its new Sit-To-Step highchair. The stylish weaning seat grows and develops with baby on their journey of learning about food, going from highchair to kitchen helper in minutes. Loaded with functional features to make mealtime easier, this modern highchair can be pulled right up to the table, so that baby is part of family time from day one. Plus, it converts to a kitchen helper for grow-with-me versatility.

Tel: 01582 434250 www.skiphop.co.uk

Known for being kind to baby’s delicate skin and the environment, Aqua Wipes, the 100% biodegradable, plastic free baby wipes, has extended its range to introduce an exciting new product, Gentle Eyelid Wipes. Designed specifically to be soft and effective at cleansing the fragile area around a baby’s delicate eye area, while also being eco-friendly, these Gentle Eyelid Wipes are the only choice for parents who want to use the most natural products possible on their baby’s skin, as well look after our natural environment.

Tel: 0845 8387120 www.aquawipes.co.uk

JOIE The i-Spin Safe, is Joie’s newest dedicated rearward-facing swivel car seat, boasting a dual-safety certification to ensure the safest of rides. The seat meets both the new i-Size certification and the highly sought-after Swedish PLUS-test certification, a rigorous test only a handful of rotating seats have successfully passed. The sister of the hugely popular Spin Safe, it incorporates several safety enhancements,including a simple swivel turn activator, and improved auto engaging guard surround safety and visibility of load leg indicator.

Tel: 01889 808900 www.joiebaby.com

LANSINOH Lansinoh has created a range of new and unique gift sets, designed to provide a fuss-free way to shop for all breastfeeding essentials, from bump to birth. The range includes three options: First Week Essentials, Mums Favourites and Hospital Bag Kit. Each kit includes all the essentials that mums and mums-to-be may need for breastfeeding, from nipple cream, through to nursing pads and milk storage bags.

Tel: 0113 2591425 www.lansinoh.co.uk

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Bio Laminate Discover our greenest nappy yet!

A first for Pop-in and reusables!

#fromcorntocloth For more information contact claire@closeparent.com www.closeparent.com

Woodland and Sealife designs.

Available in both muslin squares and the all NEW hooded bathrobe. Made from 100% cotton Muslin fabric.

For general enquiries: info@merrygorounduk.co.uk For ordering and sales: sales@merrygorounduk.co.uk Tel: 01295 810008

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NURSERY INDUSTRY

49

WHAT’S NEW NURSERY PRODUCTS ROCKIT Zed soothes babies to sleep, just like the car. Simply place it on the mattress by baby’s feet and press the snooze button.

The finely tuned car-like vibrations ripple gently through the mattress, comforting baby and encouraging a deep sleep.

Zed can also be used as a portable night light - great for nightfeeds and for taking on holiday.

Tel: 07588 717000 www.rockitrocker.com

COT COOL

CYBEX

The heatwave of 2018 forced an inventive parent to develop a cooling device to help his newborn sleep safely. Months of experimenting and testing finally came to fruition the following year, and the concept was entered into the Baby Products Association Awards. The device, aptly named the Cot Cool, was a finalist at the Harrogate International Nursery fair where it later went on to be announced the winner. Cot Cool circulates cooled air around a baby without using a water tank, or harmful refrigerants. Launching this autumn in collaboration with Bébélephant.

Tel: 07967 085927 www.cotcool.co.uk

With a “Good” rating and a final grade of “1.9” for the Cybex Solution Z i-Fix, the Platinum Z-Line is now a test winning family. All of the child car seats in the Z-Line, from the infant carrier Cloud Z i-Size to the Sirona Z i-Size R and the Solution Z i-Fix, have now been awarded with the best grades from both the Stiftung Warentest and ADAC. With this family of test-winning car seats, parents can transport their children from birth until they reach a height of 150 cm and feel assured that they will travel in consistent safety throughout their childhood.

Tel: 0207 4264938 www.cybex-online.com

SILVER CROSS Silver Cross has launched the Surf travel system and Jet stroller in its latest Special Edition Eclipse design. Surf and Jet join the bestselling Pioneer Eclipse, creating a beautiful capsule collection. Each pram features unique 3-D sculpted black fabrics, a high-shine black gloss chassis and sophisticated rose gold highlights. Combining cutting-edge design with multi-terrain performance, Surf Eclipse offers onthe-go comfort and style. With airsprung suspension and large puncture proof tyres, Surf glides over multiple terrains with ease. The magnesium alloy chassis is lightweight, while the compact fold makes it easy to store or fit in car boots.

Tel: 0345 8726900 www.silvercrossbaby.com

CHEEKY CHOMPERS On a mission to make parents’ lives a little easier, one chew at a time, Cheeky Chompers, the British born brand is thrilled to unveil its brand new Animal Teether collection, suitable from birth. Introducing Bertie the Lion, Darcy the Elephant and the brand’s mascot, Chewy the Hippo, specifically designed to be held by little hands. Each teether is 100% safe and features multiple soft and pliable textures and toothbrush like bristles on the reverse to enable parents to apply a teething gel. The new teethers are made from food grade silicone (FDA Approved) and contain no BPA or phthalates.

Tel 0131 4408370 www.cheekychompers.com

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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50

NAPPIES AND POTTIES

A Bum Deal

W

ith the importance of sustainable products continuing to influence consumer choice at retail, reusable nappies and wipes have been continuing to grow in popularity. The last few months have also seen demand increase in response to supply shortages and consumer panic buying. In fact, these stock issues have given many parents the push towards reusables that they needed and this in itself has kick-started a trend as the Below: With a range of animalthemed designs – such as this fox – My Carry Potty is designed to appeal to directly to children.

Above: The brand-new Bio laminate nappy from Close is made of recycled plastic bottles and features waterproof laminate made from 20-30% plant based source which means up to 48% less greenhouse emissions and up to 46% less nonrenewable resources during manufacture

benefits become clearer in general.

“The prospect of empty supermarket shelves and the uncertainty of supply in the early days of lockdown helped shine a spotlight on some of the more practical benefits of reusables and opened many parents’ minds to cloth for the very first time,”

GOING POTTY FOR POTTIES

“Since lockdown we have seen a huge increase in sales and traffic. We have also been able to reach new customers and international distribution more than we ever have before, in the last 10 years we have been operating. We would say sales are up by 700% which is both huge and completely unprecedented!

It’s not all been easy – stock levels have been tricky due to increased demand, and to begin with stock was delayed in China, but thankfully that is all back on track now.

Retail sales were slow but now with online picking up we are seeing healthy orders.

We have offered significant online support via our social media channels and

Being asked to stay indoors for any length of time when you have a young child is never ideal, but the enforced lockdown period has seen many parents embracing the opportunity. Some families are using the time to get to grips with reusable nappies (partly to save money long term and partly to avoid potential supply issues) while others are taking on the often-daunting task of potty training while they can. PPS takes a closer look at how the sector is responding to the current situation. agreed Hester MacAnara, director of business development at Close. “We saw a significant spike in demand and interest for these essential items across all distribution points from nappy libraries to online.”

Reusable sales were also up YTD for Close prior to lockdown, indicating that this trend started well before the pandemic hit and as such is likely to continue.

“This has proven to be a time of reflection for us all,” continued Hester. “People have considered the impact ‘normal life’ is having on themselves and the planet. I

have been offering consumers free ‘Potty Training Bootcamps’ – with over 300 joining at one time. We have also been supporting all our stockists on social posts with shout outs to direct traffic to their retail sites.

For the rest of 2020, we are expecting to see consumers continue to shop more online, so we will be investing in online and social more than ever. We want to support all our retailers and want to work closely getting them back on track. We will also be launching two new products which is very exciting and will launching in the USA in August. Watch this space!”

Amanda Jenner, director, My Carry Potty (and toilet training expert!)

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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51

NAPPIES AND POTTIES hope the legacy of this truly horrific situation can be a permanent change and perhaps a less consumable way of life. After all only 9% of Britons want things to return exactly as they were before!”

The pandemic saw Close working quicky and creatively to minimise the impact and maintain stock levels on fast moving lines. It has also been working alongside its independent and online retailers, offering as much support as possible during the lockdown period; launching a new website, offering flexible payment options and dropping delivery charges.

“We have also been supporting nappy libraries and charities across the UK, providing them with free essentials so they can respond to high demand and support vulnerable families during this time of need,” said Hester. “We have also been involved in online baby events for the first time. This has been a positive way to continue our dialogue with new and expectant parents as a brand and provide guidance and support to those parents who are simply not able to have face-to-face to conversations or try the products they wish to buy for their little ones at this time.”

For Caroline Taylor, managing director of Merry-go-Round, it’s a similar story. She reports a ‘steadily

SALES SHIFT

The lockdown has also seen a shift in sales patterns for Cheeky Rascals, as Leonie Hayward, marketing and information systems manager, explained.

“As people are staying home we have seen a switch in sales from our best-selling Potette Plus (predominantly used for travel) to the Potette Max which can be converted into a conventional potty for use in the home.”

In addition to the shift of focus on products, Cheeky Rascals has also seen many of its retailers adapting and changing their strategies to cater for the new requirements. “At first customers were holding on for as long as possible to make buying decisions but it soon became clear that babies don’t wait and so people are making the most of the internet and social media to make their buying decisions!”

increasing’ sector as new parents become aware of the impact singleuse items have on the environment.

“We also saw a huge spike in sales of washable MuslinZ nappies at the beginning of the lockdown as many could not get supplies of disposables,” she adds. “It was hard to get to the shops so washables made more sense. We expect to see new parents rethinking their dependency on using disposables as they see the extra benefits of washables going forward.”

Stock levels remain strong, but the increase in orders has still been

Above: The Potette is an awardwinning product for Cheeky Rascals.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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Above: New launches from MuslinZ have been delayed to focus on keeping best-selling items in stock – such as washable wipes, muslin squares, prefolds and nappy covers.

a challenge for Caroline and team, thanks to the adjustments made in the warehouse and offices to ensure safe working conditions, with individual equipment, additional cleaning measures and extra washing facilities.

Nappies have not been the only focus though with wipes, muslins and potty training pants also selling well.

“Potty training tends to increase in the spring and summer period and we always see an increase in sales at this time,” Caroline adds. “Even families who have used disposables see the benefit of washable potty training pants which look and feel more like ‘big boys and girls pants’ so they are very helpful in the potty training phase!”

As reusable products become more mainstream, consumers are feeling increasingly comfortable in making the move away from disposable products, with the environmental and financial advantages that come along with that. While much of the nursery industry will be facing challenging times over the coming months, it looks as if the reusable market will continue to benefit from the boost it has received to that all-important bottom line.

30/06/2020 11:59

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new designs and packaging

soft dominoes

playnest®

magnetic farm puzzles

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55

FOCUS ON: THE GREAT INDOORS

No place like home

It’s no secret that a number of preschool suppliers enjoyed a pick up in sales across their indoor lines – including games and puzzles and arts and crafts – during the COVID-19 lockdown. PPS catches up with some of them.

W

ith schools closed and parents and children suddenly at home together for much longer than usual, the games and puzzles and arts and crafts categories has been through something of a boom period during lockdown.

Fun, with educational elements and offering good value for money seemed to be the order of the day.

“We saw a real return to basics in terms of best sellers,” says Emma Weber, marketing and licensing director at Vivid Toy Group. “Crayola Supertips and Washable Paint have enjoyed the top slots in the charts when stock has been replenished.

It shows us how consumers are shopping for core stationery ranges while home schooling.”

Emma continues: “The most challenging start to lockdown was not knowing whether/when retailers would start placing orders for ‘non essential’ items, while we could

55_57_Indoors.indd 55

see growing demand across key categories. Vivid is lucky to have a portfolio that has been in demand during the start of lockdown across Crayola, outdoor toys and games.”

Emma says that Vivid worked closely with its retail partners to maximise sales wherever possible and she expects the solid sales to continue as the industry moves towards the autumn/winter period.

Above: Orchard Toys has kept contact with consumers by sending daily educational activity sheets to its mailing list, as well as sharing on social media.

“We took the decision to press pause on some of our marketing at the start of lockdown so we are expecting an increase in sales once we start to push forward with our plans as we move into the A/W season,” she says.

“As well as a host of new children’s games, we have strong new Crayola lines including our Washimals brand which has been absolutely fantastic in its first couple of years and now with the introduction of the Mobile Spa this year, we are adding vehicle play to the already successful combination of creative play, figures and play-sets.”

Simon Newbery, md of Orchard Toys, says that the company’s ‘overtly educational games’ were its bestsellers during the period. These included Match and Spell, Counting Mountain and Alphabet Lotto along with the new times table games.

He explains: “The most challenging part has definitely been managing availability in line with demand because manufacturing had to be put on hold when demand for educational 

Left: Edushape’s Textured Pop Blocks have been a stand-out bestseller for Halilit.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

30/06/2020 10:59

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FOCUS ON: THE GREAT INDOORS

57

games and jigsaws was high. We are

reviewing every part of our business, but particularly our manufacturing processes and our supplier base to identify where we can make changes to overcome the challenges presented

by COVID-19. We are working closely with our suppliers to recover as quickly and safely as possible.”

Orchard Toys has also been sending daily educational activity sheets to its mailing list during the period and sharing them across social media.

Simon adds: “These resources have always been available on our website, but we refocused our marketing strategy to deliver these to customers inboxes at a time we knew they would need them most. This has massively increased our engagement with our consumers and has generated a lot of ‘brand love’. We are confident that moving forward this increased brand awareness will strengthen the brand and benefit our retailers.”

Fiesta Crafts md Andrew Bacon is

THE FUTURE OF RETAIL

Although non-essential bricks and mortar retailers are once again able to trade, the stores certainly look different to what consumers are used to, with a host of social distancing measures now in place.

The overwhelming view is that in order for customers to return, they need to be made to feel safe again in the store environment.

“Customers will need to feel that they are safe within a physical store and so clear communication about the steps a retailer has taken to protect them will be important,” says Halilit’s Judith. “But retailers should also embrace online opportunities to drive customers to their stores by engaging with their customers via social media and email. Run events, offer promotions, interact with their local community as much as possible, tell their story and seek recommendations.

“There is a real groundswell of support to ‘shop local’ and by giving customers the personal touch that is lacking in faceless online shopping, hopefully, retailers will benefit by making their customers feel valued.”

Great Gizmos’ Sarah adds: “We have had really positive feedback so far with footfall being high all [the first] week, so long may that continue.”

Above: Fiesta Crafts’ Discover the World game went out of stock for a couple of weeks.

Left: The Crayola Washimals brand is due to expand further later this year.

also confident there is scope for further sales. The company saw its Discover the World Game become a big seller (even going out of stock for a couple of weeks), while its new craft ranges including wood and clay kits and 3D mask kits have also performed well.

Speaking about how toy retailers adapted, Andrew says: “When things are tough it is impressive how inventive people can be to find a way to continue doing business. There is definitely scope for more sales. I am hoping that people will have found increased enthusiasm for games and arts and crafts as they are activities that have brought families together during this time, and I would think people will want more of that. We have always focused on toys that grow creativity and imagination and this will keep sales strong in the future, too.”

Sarah Dayus, sales director at Great Gizmos, is also impressed with how retailers rose to the challenges. “Some of our independent customers have worked around the clock to get online, improving website copy, images and videos,” she says. “Some retailers have had to think outside the box and have offered click and collect services which has allowed them to keep trading. We had one customer who set up as a pop-up in their local convenience store, which I thought was pretty genius.”

Sarah says the company saw a “huge rise” in sales across its science and craft kits, “basically anything children

Below: Great Gizmos has seen a huge rise in sales for its craft kits.

can sit and do at the table, that have some educational value to them, too”.

Communication throughout the entire period has been key, she adds.

“We have kept in contact with all of our customers to let them know we are still operating as usual, with good stocks in our warehouse and more on the way.

We have reduced our carriage paid orders to £100 (usually £250) and have also offered 5% off total orders. This has helped independents in particular.

Our sales over the past few months have come from such a wide range of customers: online, independents with online presence, garden centres. We have also opened some new accounts and have seen some old customers come back to us which is great.”

Halilit has also been busy adapting to meet its customers’ individual challenges. “As expected, most sales have come from specialist online retailers, but we have had a surprising number of requests from new customers wanting to open accounts for the first time or existing customers wanting to try new lines,” md Judith Stark tells PPS. “It seems that this unexpected period of free time has given people the opportunity to look around for new stockists and new products and we are happily benefitting from that.”

The stand-out bestseller for Halilit has been Edushape’s Textured Pop Blocks, while the Red Riding Hood and Pirate-themed Magna Blocks have also proved popular. “We are fortunate that when lockdown was announced, we already had a container en-route and so we have managed to keep in stock,” says Judith, although the company has struggled to offer many of its Doron Layeled wooden puzzles and True Dough range.

While this has no doubt been a challenging period, it seems that the preschool toy category has once again proved its adaptability and resilience.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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INDOOR TOYS

WHAT’S NEW INDOOR TOYS FLAIR Flair has a wealth of creative brands for preschoolers to enjoy including one that is perfect for a cool summertime treat, Mr Frosty. This nostalgic brand is something every adult wanted when they were children and Mr Frosty is still the perfect way to be creative in the kitchen with the little ones. Flair’s Mr Frosty Ice Crunchy Maker has key accessories to help children make their own delicious frozen treats. It’s perfect for producing crunchy ice, fruity ice shapes and ice lollies, and is ideal for sharing with friends.

Tel: 0208 6430320 www.flairplc.co.uk

TOMY

SCHLEICH It’s all about looking after animals down on the farm as Schleich is adding the topic of vets and cute pets to its Farm World collection.

The Veterinarian Practice with Pets set is equipped with everything the vet needs to take good care of all the animals. Or, if a patient is unable to make it into the practice, the Veterinarian Visit at the Farm set comes complete with vet, his Labrador retriever and his cute kitten.

His case contains all the instruments he needs to examine and treat the animals. And the truck’s fold-out loading ramp provides plenty of space for animal transportation.

Tel: 01279 870000 www.schleich-s.com

TOMY’s Aquadoodle range continues to evolve, as it brings a new range to the market focused on early learning, but still with all the mess-free, zero waste elements of fun and creative play for a range of ages. Baby Aquadoodle is designed to allow babies as young as nine months to get creative, learn and play in a mess-free way. The chunky Grab and Mark pen is perfect for developing motor skills as well as hand eye coordination without the worries of cleaning up a mess.

Tel: 01271 336155 www.uk.tomy.com

GREAT GIZMOS Great Gizmos has a huge range of science and craft kits that young children love to play with, and parents and grandparents love to buy. Each kit is designed to enrich children’s minds whilst having fun. Brand new to the range is ‘Make Your Own Mask’, a fantastic kit that includes two face masks to decorate with the paints and stencils included.

Tel: 01293 543221 www.greatgizmos.co.uk

PLAYPRESS Create a world of fun and stories with Playpress, a universe of buildable connectable playsets that are made sustainably without plastic. Its sets are designed for ages four years and upwards, providing hours of construction fun and play. They are made from its unique robust play board, a material that can stand up to demanding play, but is also totally recyclable and biodegradable. Sets include the Farmyard Playset which is an 81 piece set including a barn, chicken coop, eight animals, two farmers and a vegetable patch.

Tel: 07709 393097 www.playpresstoys.co.uk PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Natural rubber baby toys

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INDOOR TOYS

WHAT’S NEW INDOOR TOYS LITTLE BRIAN A fun storage solution from Little Brian, the new Giant Stick contains 30 assorted Paint Sticks in all the colours available, 12 classic, 12 metallic and 6 day glow colours.

Shaped like a 30cm tall yellow Paint Stick, the Giant Stick will look fab and stylish in any home. Perfect for children to store their Paint Sticks, unleash their creativity and quickly tidy up again.

Tel: 01295 768078 www.trendsuk.co.uk

TOYNAMICS

HIPPYCHICK Just landed at Hippychick is the brand new and luxurious Tembo Elephant range from Nattou. The collection consists of high end, 100% cotton cuddly toys with stunning grey and white tones, making them completely gender neutral. The Tembo line features Nattou’s famous toys such as rockers, musicals and mobiles, but using the muted classic colours and 100% fabrics. This is a collection not to be missed.

Tel: 01278 434440 www.hippychick.com

The Magic Touch Piano, a collaboration between Hape and Baby Einstein, has attained worldwide recognition since its release in 2018. It not only contains the basic elements of any Hape toy - high-quality, great play-value and educational elements, but also marks a big step in the blending of wood and technology in toys. This year, to enhance the Magic Touch range, different animal voices and selected sounds have been added which benefit children’s cognitive abilities. The newly introduced colourful lights are highly appealing to little ones and offer a great stimulus for learning. Toynamics UK & Ireland exclusively distributes the full Hape Baby Einstein range.

Tel: 0116 4785230 www.toynamics.co.uk

INSIDE OUT TOYS The Ecoline range from Viking Toys combines the brand’s timeless design of durable non-toxic toys with an oil-free, plant-based material made from sugar cane – taking sustainability to a new level. What’s more, with every jumbo sized Ecoline product purchased, Viking Toys commit to planting a tree. Also 100% recyclable and with packaging made from recycled material, this range is the perfect choice for an eco-friendly purchase. Distributed in the UK by Inside Out Toys.

Tel: 01908 969969 www.insideouttoys.co.uk

LITTLE CONCEPTS Candylab Toys, distributed in the UK and Ireland by Little Concepts, offers vintage, yet, modern looking cars that exude their own personality and are inspired from a bygone era. The cars have a highly artistic look with a mix of bold colours, and an impressive solid feel from their sturdy beech wood body. From the Woodie Wagon Surf Vibe vintage, to the Drifter Series, an off-roader infused with nostalgia, Candylab collectibles have been popular at museum gift shops and with consumers and collectors internationally.

Tel: 0117 2302112 www.littleconcepts.co.uk PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Soothes babies to sleep .......just like the car in partnership with

New ct u prod

RRP £29.99 Zed mimics the feeling of being in a car. His clever technology recreates soothing low frequency vibrations that are known to send babies to sleep. Simply place Zed on the mattress by your baby’s feet and press the snooze button. The finely tuned vibrations ripple gently through the mattress, comforting your baby and encouraging a deep sleep. Zed can also be used as a portable night light, so great for night-feeds and for taking on holiday.

Works on any type of mattress

6 calming vibration modes

Portable night light.

3 light levels

Suitable from birth

For UK and Eire orders contact your BabyStyle Sales Agent, email info@babystyle.co.uk or call 01509 816 444. For all other enquiries contact sales@rockitrocker.com

www.rockitrocker.com/zed

a safe night’s sleep

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For more information please contact: UK Nationals - Natalie Jackson (natalie.jackson@beaba.com) UK Independents - Jennie Watkins Smith ( jenniews@icandyuk.com)

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Cools by 6°C

Low Maintenance

Circulates and Cools the air around a baby as they sleep

• No water tank to top up • No harmful refrigerants • No fan blades

cotcool.co.uk | email info@cotcool.co.uk

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BEABA X ICANDY

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Award-winning British baby brand iCandy has partnered with French nursery brand BÉABA as they help one another gain ground in their respective territories.

PPS finds out more about the innovative crosschannel distribution deal.

Perfect Partners

W

hen two wellestablished companies begin working together there is usually some natural cross-over in their product ranges, but with pushchair expert iCandy and feeding brand BÉABA sitting squarely in different sectors of the nursery industry this couldn’t be further from the case.

Instead, the Anglo-French deal focuses on making the most of their geographical territories, with BÉABA now acting as the exclusive iCandy distributor for both France and Benelux and iCandy returning the favour by distributing BÉABA’s products to the independent sector in the UK. The partnership was initially announced at Kind + Jugend 2019 and it officially began on 1 January 2020. According to iCandy’s joint ceo Bradley Appel, it was a natural pairing.

“Both iCandy and Beaba are

Below: The iCandy’s Lime is the brand’s latest model, featuring the TotalFold system and an integrated ride-on board.

BÉABA BASICS

Top: The Babycook Solo: for 2020 BÉABA is focusing on brand building and engaging consumers via its collaboration with registered dietitian and blogger, Mummy Nutritio Above left: Bradley Appel, joint ceo, iCandy. Above right: Natalie Jackson, vp of sales and marketing, BÉABA.

individually renowned in their respective territories as market leading, prestigious and innovative brands,” he explained.

Natalie Jackson, BÉABA’s vp of sales and marketing agreed, saying: “The biggest driver for our continued growth is our passion to create innovative and stylish products that help to make life easier... These values that are shared by the iCandy brand, so it made perfect sense for us to join forces.”

She continued: “iCandy is such a well-known brand in the UK and has a great heritage, similar to that of BÉABA in Europe. With the synergy in brands,

ICANDY INFO

Combining innovative design with British craftsmanship, iCandy is a family-run pushchair and accessory business. Founded in 1933, it is the proud winner of both the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade and the Queen’s Award for Innovation and continually pushes the boundaries across pushchair design, style and innovation.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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French brand BÉABA first put its mark on the map 30 years ago with the revolutionary Babycook baby food maker. Today, BÉABA products are easily recognised for their beautiful, stylish design and focus on technology and are available in 70 countries. In 2011 BÉABA acquired the Red Castle brand and entered the UK market. it’s ideal that we can use that ‘home grown’ presence in our respective originating countries to support each other and the industry as a whole.”

As with any partnership, it has been important to ensure brand values are upheld, so it’s helpful that flawless customer service is paramount to both companies, with rigorous staff training taking place across each brand. In addition to operating within each other’s distribution network, the two brands will also be able to utilise each other’s marketing channels, strengthening their positions respectively within the baby goods market across both the UK and Europe.

“Over the coming months we are working together on various marketing collaborations to support retailers, together with exciting consumer activities via our social media platforms,” continued Natalie. “We have a great relationship and we do what we can in these challenging times to support each other and our retailers.”

“This partnership is not simply about distributing products for one another,” agreed Bradley. “We want to cultivate and develop presence in order to create a longstanding and rewarding relationship, both commercially and for the baby goods industry as a whole.”

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Always keeping you stocked

Three stunning new collections from Nattou

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u

with the latest top trends

New must have accessories from Dooky

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WHAT’S NEW TOMY TOMY’s Johnny Tractor preschool range has a natural evergreen appeal, offering great toys with educational and development elements, such as shape sorting and matching, counting and motor skills. The leading product from the range, Build-A-Johnny Tractor, is made from chunky parts, making it easy for little hands to assemble and can be used as a free-rolling tractor or building toy. The bestselling ‘Build-A-Johnny’ will be extended for 2020 to include a brand new ‘Build-A-Buddy’ range.

Tel: 01271 336155 www.uk.tomy.com

BEBELEPHANT

CHARACTER OPTIONS

Distributors bébélephant has released the acclaimed book by Louise Gribbons, The Day We Spring-Cleaned The World. It’s a poem written for children of all ages, to assist them through the confusing journey of COVID-19 and the impact it has had on everyone’s lives. The book, through words and pictures, explains why we had to ‘spring-clean the world’ and shares an uplifting message of love and unity. It emphasises the positive attitude we should have as we ‘open the doors’ again and the importance of taking care of our beautiful world. A special keepsake and positive way to reflect on a not so positive time.

Tel: 0844 8589792 www.bebelephant.com

Character Options’ Funatic Foam presents the perfect way to clean up when it comes to outdoor fun.

Perfect for the little ones, Funatic Foam is the indoor/outdoor super soap spray that is the perfect solution to any kids foam party.

This soap-based super spray comes in three ‘scent-sational’ scents and with just a press of the trigger will let loose a spray of foam that reaches up to three meters.

Tel: 0161 6339800 www.character-online.com

FUNRISE The Gazillion Bubble brand leads the charge in creating premium bubble products and has something for every young bubble fan, including the Gazillion Whirlwind Party Bubble machine. Families can look forward to hours of fun and laughter with the Gazillion Whirlwind. To get it going, parents can tip premium Gazillion solution into the machine, press go and watch as hundreds of bubbles of all shapes and sizes fill the air.

Tel: 01908 555640 www.funrise.com

BABIATORS Babiators has recently launched its Screen Saver glasses. These clever and stylish glasses are designed to protect little ones from their increased level of exposure to blue light emitted from digital devices. All this exposure to digital devices can be harmful to children’s eyes, studies show that artificial blue light is linked to sleepless nights, eyestrain dry-eyes and headaches. Plus, these harmful effects can be more evident in children as their eyes are much more sensitive to blue light.

Tel: 01932 570835 www.babiators-uk.com

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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WHAT’S NEW HIPPYCHICK With parents desperate to keep their little ones entertained at home, five new toys from Classic World have arrived just in time. With everything ranging from a brand new ultimate activity box, unlike anything seen before on the market, to a beautifully designed classic pull train, and even a little toaster set to complete the perfect kitchen setup – there is something for everyone.

Tel: 01278 434440 www.hippychick.com

MARY MEYER

BEBELEPHANT

Mary Meyer has created a new line in collaboration with Kids2 called ​ Baby Einstein First Discoveries​.

These toys focus on bringing all of baby’s senses into playtime. They provide a new take on four of Baby Einstein’s most iconic and beloved characters - Cal the Caterpillar, Neptune the Sea Turtle, Tinker the Tiger, and Zen the Zebra. The crinkle teethers, blankets, activity balls, and hand puppets all give baby lots to discover. Available in the UK through White Pebble International.

Tel: 01243 780501

Jackloc’s window restrictors are designed to keep children safe from accidental falls from windows and to provide peace of mind for parents.

The tot-lock by Jackloc range contains three Jackloc window restrictors, two permanently fixed and one key lockable, which allow the window to be opened to 100mm and are individually tested to withhold the weight of 58 stone.

Available from Bebelephant.

Tel: 0844 8589792 www.bebelephant.com

www.whitepebbleinternational.com

DOREL Child travel market leader, MaxiCosi has won the prestigious Red Dot Product Design 2020 award, in its pushchair category, for the new Lila CP. The Lila CP is a pushchair designed for modern day urban and suburban life. It impressed the judges with its multi-functional and clean design. The pushchair boasts a dual-sided, thermo-regulated mattress to ensure that baby is comfortable in every season. The breathable mesh will keep little ones cool in the summer months, while the fleece side retains warmth when temperatures drop.

Tel: 0208 2360707 www.dorel.co.uk

LE TOY VAN After 18 months of anticipation developing ideas, perfecting the products, and introducing its work at various trade fairs, Le Toy Van’s 2020 range is finally hitting the shelves. New products include the Star Beauty Bag. Inside the bag is an assortment of wooden accessories including a vintage perfume bottle with a bulb atomiser, a hand held mirror, a hair dryer, a comb, a shell compact make up kit, a lotion, a nail varnish, a lipstick and a powder puff. Made from sustainable rubberwood, gold paint finish and high quality natural cotton.

Tel: 0208 9792036 www.letoyvan.com

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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INTRODUCING OUR BRAND NEW PADDINGTON TV TOY COLLECTION!

© P&Co.Ltd./SC 2020

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Available from October!

See all our Paddington collections on our website

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