I from the publisher
John Baulch - @Baulchtweet
t has been an eventful start to the New Year, to say the least. After weeks of mounting speculation, we finally saw the cancellation of the Nuremberg and New York Toy Fairs, in both cases less than a week after the respective organisers had issued statements claiming that the events were definitely still going ahead. There had been rumblings about both shows since the turn of the year, with reports of key exhibitors pulling out and major buyers cancelling appointments. Both show organisers did all they could to give the shows a fighting chance of going ahead, but in the end, time and the virus conditions in Germany and the USA were against them. It must be immensely frustrating and disappointing to have had to cancel the shows for a second year in a row – I really feel for the organisers, just as I feel for the HKTDC which stages the Hong Kong Toy Fair. However, these cancellations were very much down to ‘events beyond their control’. Here in the UK, our government has adopted a rather different approach to Covid, preferring to ‘ride it out’ and live alongside the virus. That strategy understandably has its vocal critics at times, and I appreciate that it may not be ideal for every individual, but there is no doubt that it is infinitely more business friendly. The government has repeatedly made it clear that there are no impending lockdowns, international travel restrictions have been eased significantly and mass events are still taking place (football matches have seen 60k crowds turning up across the winter, while bars, restaurants and nightclubs have remained fully open). As a result, it has largely been down to individuals and companies as to how they choose to operate, and businesses can at least plan with some degree of confidence. As a result of the UK government’s policy, coupled with a welcome fall in Covid cases, the London Toy Fair was thankfully able to go ahead this past week, and next week sees the Spring Fair taking place in Birmingham. This issue includes a preview of the Kids, Toys & Play area of the show: a focused sector for sure, but with the cancellation of trips to Hong Kong, Nuremberg and New York, a valuable additional opportunity for retailers to see new ranges and source potential new suppliers. This edition was sent to press before the London Toy Fair, so I’m afraid you will have to wait until next month for our review of the show and a rundown of all the key news and developments that happened at Olympia.
Toy World 5
All I can say is that writing this column a week before the event, it feels like it is going to be an amazing show: there is palpable excitement about the opportunity to meet up with industry friends and colleagues again after so long, while the cancellation of the international trade fairs seems likely to lead to an influx of visitors from the European and wider global market, keen to see new launches and meet with suppliers and retailers in the flesh. It will have been a different show for sure; suppliers have had to be mindful of the stands becoming overcrowded, so pre-arranged appointments were more important than ever. And with everyone being asked to wear masks, it might just have been a little trickier to gauge reactions to new lines than usual. Hopefully there will have been a lot of smiling going on behind those masks. In the meantime, in addition to our Spring Fair preview section, this issue also includes an extensive look at the sustainability efforts being made by an increasing number of toy companies. Our special Green Feature rounds-up a host of new products, packaging solutions and business initiatives that toy suppliers and retailers are launching to ensure that the toy community delivers a more sustainable future for both the industry and its consumers. There is no doubt that adopting eco-friendly principles is something that all businesses need to address, and once again it feels like the toy community is at the forefront of the movement. Away from the shows, there has been a steady progression of major news stories breaking over the past few weeks. We have brought all of these stories together in this issue, with multiple comings and goings at some of the largest toy companies and retailers, including MGA, Toys R Us, Ravensburger and many more. If you want to keep up to date with all the latest news and developments as they happen in real time, head on over to our website and register to receive our email news alerts – Toy World always aims to have its finger on the pulse and be first with the news, so we can help you to stay one step ahead of the game. However, we firmly believe that some articles are best presented in print form, and always will be. So, grab a brew (and a pack of pack of biscuits if you’re feeling peckish), hunker down and enjoy the wealth of information that the Toy World team has curated for you this month.
