French Toy Market 2025 In Review

BY YANN FRESNEL, General Manager Toy Influence

Market Performance

The French toy market delivered exceptional performance in 2025, with 7.1 percent value growth and 7 percent volume growth. This marks the best year in the last 25 years and a return to growth after three consecutive years of decline.

• January–September 2025 :  +9 percent
• Q4 performance: +5.5 percent
  • December alone: +4.5 percent

The market reached a total value of €4.7 billion, placing France among the leading toy markets in Europe, alongside Germany and the UK.

Pricing & Consumption

• Average toy price: €18 (stable year-on-year)
• Average Christmas price: €21
• Spending per child: +2 percent, despite a continued decline in births

Inflation Continued to Ease

• 2023: +4 percent
• 2025: +1 percent
• 2024: +2 percent

Demographics

The number of births declined again by -2.1 percent, reaching 645,000 births, the lowest level since World War II.

Over the past 15 years, this represents a reduction of 180,000 births, reinforcing the importance of value-driven and older-age segments.

Performing Categories

Strong growth was driven by a mix of innovation, collectibles, and kidult appeal:

• Building toys: +35 percent
• Trading cards (lead by Pokémon): +78 percent
• Plush: +11 percent
• Audio storytellers: +63 percent

Kidult Segment (12+)

• +16 percent growth
• Represents 33 percent of global toy sales
• A major growth engine for the market

Top Products – December 2025

• SKYJO was the #1 selling product in value

Toy Retail – Key Facts 2025

• Smyths Toys:
  • Opened 5 new stores (49 total in France)
• JouéClub:
  • +7 percent growth
• La Grande Récré:
  • +11 percent growth
  • 110 stores total (69 owned, 41 franchises)
  • 15 stores acquired by JouéClub members
  • 25 additional acquired by JouéClub planned for 2026
• King Jouet:
  • +9 percent growth in 2025

Distribution Channels

• Hypermarkets/Supermarkets: -1 percent
  • Toys are no longer a strategic priority
  • Strong price pressure focused on food categories
  • E.Leclerc remains the #1 hypermarket toy retailer
    • 33 percent of HM toy sales
• Specialist retailers:
  • Now represent 42 percent of the total market
  • +11 percent growth, driven by kidult-focused assortments
• Online:
  • +8 percent growth

Licenses

Licensed toys had another strong year, boosted by movie releases:
Overall, licensed products represented 30 percent of global toy sales and achieved a 19 percent growth.
Top licenses:
1. Pokémon (sales doubled)
2. Lilo & Stitch
3. Formula 1

Key Trends

• Made in France:
  • 16 percent of total sales (slight growth)
  • Stronger visibility through trade fairs, media, and Christmas catalogs
• Second-hand toys:
  • 40 million units sold
  • ~7 percent of total market volume
• Collectibles (cards, figurines, etc.):
  • +45 percent growth
  • Now 13 percent of total sales
  • Strong influence from Asian content (China, Korea, Japan)

Regulatory & Safety Concerns

In 2025, 86 percent of toys sold by some foreign online platforms were found to be unsafe, failing to comply with EU Toy Safety regulations. This represents a major challenge and calls for urgent regulatory and enforcement solutions.

2026 Perspectives

• 30th anniversary of Pokémon, reinforcing its position as the #1 global license
• LEGO to introduce:
  • Pokémon license
  • New Smart Play System bricks
• FIFA World Cup 2026, expected to boost sports-related toys

Overall, 2026 outlook is positive and promising, supported by strong licenses, innovation, and sustained kidult demand.

Yann Fresnel, a top French executive in the Toy Industry, has agreed to write about his home toy market “France” with a complete overview of 2025. Mr. Fresnel bases his comments upon data from Circana, La Revue du Jouet, the French Toy Federation, and his observations and opinions.

Yann has 32 years of experience selling Toy products in EMEA area. He has worked for companies like Berchet (Smoby), Newell Brands, BERG Toys, and SmarTrike.