The LEGO Group continues to enjoy massive success in the UK market, as building set sales outpaced broader toy sales in 2025.
The UK toy industry grew for the first time since 2020, with sales up 6% in 2025. The ‘kidult’ category – toys bought by teenagers and adults – grew by 10%, while sales of toys for children under 12 grew by 4%.
The British Toy & Hobby Association and Circana announced the figures to coincide with London Toy Fair 2026, which is taking place at the Olympia convention centre. The annual event allows exhibitors to promote their products to toy buyers.
LEGO Formula 1 helped the building sets toy category to grow by 25%, which was of course good news for the Danish company.
Top performing licenses included How To Train Your Dragon, K-Pop Demon Hunters, Minecraft, Pokémon, Lilo & Stitch Fortnite, Minecraft, Sonic and Jurassic World. The LEGO Group has released products based on all of those franchises… except for K-Pop Demon Hunters. Maybe the company should hop onto that opportunity.
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LEGO Botanicals were a top selling item in 2025, showing the continued interested in the forever flowers. Pokémon was the UK’s top gaining toy property in 2025 thanks to sales of the franchise’s trading cards – clearly the LEGO Group made a savvy business decision with the new sets.
“The return to growth in 2025 marks a pivotal moment for the UK toy industry after many challenging years,” said British Toy & Hobby Association Head of Public Affairs Kerri Atherton. “What is particularly encouraging is the consistency behind the recovery when trading conditions have remained tough, with toy sales increasing every month of the year and growth evident across both children’s toys and the expanding kidult market.
“This performance reflects a strong interest in toys and the sector’s ability to engage a wide audience through innovation, entertainment-led play and strong licensing partnerships. The influence of film, streaming, and sport demonstrates an evolving era of play, where toys are increasingly embedded in wider cultural moments, enjoyed by all the family. Whilst recognising there are still challenges facing businesses and consumers, the toy industry will look to build on this success going into 2026.”
“2025 has marked a clear turning point for the UK toy market, with infant and preschool delivering their strongest performance since 2017,” said Circana Executive Director, UK Toys Melissa Symonds. “Innovation has been a key driver of that growth, with products such as Toniebox and LeapFrog resonating strongly with parents and younger children alike. Looking ahead, an action-packed year for film and TV is set to further energise the market. As we’ve seen with franchises such as Minecraft, Stranger Things, and Wicked, toys that allow both children and adults to engage with the worlds they love are playing an increasingly important role in bringing joy, connection, and fandom into everyday life.”
The British Toy and Hobby Association selected Minecraft 21589 Mini Biomes and Botanicals 11501 Tulip Bouquet as part of the Hero Toys selection for 2026.
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