ToyNews Toy industry news: business, marketing, retail, wholesale and distribution

An indoor wooden climbing frames start-up, Sawdust and Rainbows is climbing its way out of lockdown with international sales ‘going through the roof’ at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and parents and families in need of indoor entertainment and activity. Sawdust and Rainbows is the brainchild of Rosie Hughes …

Paper Engine’s science toy brand Build Your Own has expanded its eco-friendly, STEM-inspired toy portfolio with the launch of its new cardboard Microscope kit, joining a range designed to encourage kids to immerse themselves in science and exploration. Build Your Own toys have been designed to help capture active imaginations …

Leading UK toy company, Spin Master, continues its partnership with Warner Bros. to bring Batman’s adventures to life with innovative toys. As one of the newest toy licensees for the iconic Batman franchise, Spin Master is bringing its unique twist to innovative product including boy’s action figures, remote control vehicles, …

The Toy Centre is a family-run online retailer that believes in the power of traditional toys. When lockdown first hit the UK, it was a belief system that paid dividends; a combination of the hot spell that baked the country and the closure of schools across the UK, drove sales …

The UK retailer, Boots is to cut 4,000 jobs, its parent company Walgreen Boots Alliance has announced, having been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures. The company said it will cut around seven per cent of its UK workforce. According to Walgreens, sales at Boots have plunged …

John Lewis is to permanently close eight of its 50 stores, the retailer has detailed this morning, in a move that will include major outlets in Birmingham and Watford. It’s been reported that the closure will result in the loss of around 1,300 jobs. All four of the group’s smaller …

Cas Paton, founder and CEO of OnBuy.com There’s no doubt we’re in uncharted waters; the coronavirus pandemic has created a level of disruption that generations of people won’t have experienced before. As the Prime Minister said recently, “coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades”. It’s had …