Christmas toy price rises and stock shortages warning

Parents are being warned of toy shortages and price hikes as we approach Christmas.

Industry body the Toy Retailers' Association (TRA) said while shelves were unlikely to be empty, there would be less choice than previous years.

Suppliers blamed a combination of rising shipping costs and the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.

Some manufacturers have also pointed to a global shortage of computer chips, used in toys that produce sound.

Barry Hughes, managing director of Golden Bear Toys, based in Telford, described it as "a perfect storm".

He said the firm, which produces many of its lines in China, had been stockpiling toys since June to try and avoid a Christmas crisis.

"Undoubtedly we are going to see prices rising. It is not just going to be toys, it will be everything," he added.

The firm estimated shipping container prices would cost it an extra £1m this year.

Mr Hughes said in previous years the firm had been able to order more toys in October or November once it sees which lines are proving popular.

"This year that's not possible. [Deliveries] are late. There is some stock retailers hold in their warehouses, but that starts to run dry," he said.

Many toys sold across the UK are produced in China, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only served to push up prices.

In addition, once toys reach the UK, the shortage of lorry drivers has added to the bottleneck and costs.

Joel Berkowitz, director of the London Toy Company, said the firm had no choice but to pass on some of the costs to retailers, albeit "reluctantly".

The Toy Shop in Ironbridge, Shropshire, said it had placed its orders with manufacturers and was hoping for the best.

"We have been stockpiling toys but there is going to be this bottleneck so we are just hoping that toys do arrive and that we have things to sell," owner Vonny Simons said.

TRA chair Alan Simpson said he had six words for parents this year: "If you see it, buy it."

"If you think you are going to go into toy stores in December as you normally would do... and you are going to get what you want, you will be very disappointed," he added.