The Belgian Toy Federation presented awards for its 24th edition at the Toys & Games of The Year on Tuesday, awarding prizes for categories such as toys for babies, creative hobbies, action figures, strategy games and more.
The annual competition, open to all manufacturers and importers, rewards makers of original and high-quality toys that comply with EU safety and sustainability standards and is judged by a panel of professionals. The winner of this year's Game World category was a LEGO product called 'Friends Autumn Stable'; the complete list of winners can be found on the Toys & Games of The Year website.
One category, however, is still being decided. The public vote is open to all consumers, who can vote for the best toy and the best game from an award-winning selection of 12. The ballot began on Tuesday night and will remain open until 3 November. Interested consumers can vote on the website.
Downward trend
This year's awards come during a tough time for the Belgian toy industry. After an already difficult year in 2022, the first eight months of 2023 brought a 9% drop in value, compared with the same period last year, according to an assessment by research firm Circana. Though this downward trend can be seen in both the US and Europe, the decline is more prominent in Belgium than in other European markets.
But Nicolas Pons, Deputy Director of Retail at Circana, is not alarmed. "After reaching peak levels during Covid-19, we are returning to the norm," he told Le Soir. Belgium's dreary weather during the spring and summer also made sales of outdoor toys and games plummet by 20%, he noted, accounting for 42% of the market's decline.
Marketing Director Cédric Haleng at the Jouets Broze chains also pointed to the negative impact of the falling birth rate on the industry and the fact that "consumers are paying more attention to their spending." Moreover, children nowadays use tablets and smartphones from a very young age, and more often opt for screens over traditional toys.
Hopes for the holidays
Some products, however, continue to perform well, including construction games, toys for young children, "kidult" games, and toys that license famous brands (such as Disney and Harry Potter). In fact, these licenses account for 25% of the sector's sales. Manufacturers are also hopeful that the approaching holidays will drive up sails at the end of the year.
CEO of Fox et Cie toy company, Frédéric Henrotte, is also confident about people's plans for holiday shopping: "Last year, there was a really strong climate of anxiety. Now we've got wage indexation. We know that the war [in Ukraine] is going to last," he told Le Soir. "People are being careful, but everyone has recovered their purchasing power and we should have a good end to the year."
