United Kingdom Building Sets/Construction Toys Market Overview, 2029

The market for Building Sets/Construction Toys in the United Kingdom is as old as the evolutionary process of these toys themselves- with basic wooden blocks in the early 20th century leading to powerful construction kits in present times. The brands LEGO became popular in the 1960s with their interlocking plastic bricks that made a significant change in play. From there, in the 1980s and in the wake of educational policies stressing out STEM, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the construction toys market picked up even more speed. The regulatory frameworks will be upon the adoption of specific safety standards for toys placed on the market. For example, the EN71 safety standards for toys were approved in the 1990s. Apart from this, the Consumer Products Regulation of 2011 helps ensure toys issued to consumers and children meet statutory standards of safety and quality. Major brands present in the UK include LEGO, Meccano, and Playmobil. These factors, mainly brand strength and wide varieties of products, have made LEGO a very strong market leader in the minds of consumers. Meccano, with all metal construction kits, tends to attract more mature age groups since its range is made for engineering and design lovers, whereas Playmobil has thematic sets and is mainly popular with the under-age group, where imaginative play is encouraged. Other leaders in the market include Hasbro and Mattel, which also expand their lines with branded construction toys using popular franchises. Increasingly significant is the use of sustainable materials and resources as the companies adapt to the trend among consumers for buying more ecological options.

According to the research report, "United Kingdom Building Sets/Construction Toys Market Overview, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the United Kingdom Building Sets/Construction Toys market is anticipated to add to more than USD 90 Million by 2024–29. The product categories under Bricks & Blocks, Tinker Toys, and Others are the ones that have got attention in the UK Building Sets and Construction Toys market. Among this, Bricks and blocks is the most popular one in the UK and the leading brand in this category is LEGO. The demand for this product is widely spread, including a varied age group, as they enable the children to build highly complex structures. Sales in areas like London and the South East, where families have more disposable incomes, are logging immense orders for LEGO sets, specifically the themed ones like Harry Potter or Star Wars. Tinker Toys, which have more mechanical and structural building sets, are also gaining popularity. Brands like Meccano that specialize in metal construction kits are found to be particularly appealing to older children and adults who are interested in engineering and design. This segment is particularly popular in areas such as the Midlands, where there is a keen interest in hands-on learning experiences, and the STEM education. Other construction toys include a range of building toys made from magnetic sets (such as Magformers), K'NEX, and wooden toys. These products enjoy appreciation due to their distinct methods of building besides the educational value attached to them. In regions such as Scotland and Wales, where patterns of choosing environment-friendly and eco-friendly playthings are gaining momentum, wooden building sets have reached phenomenal popularity levels.

Material choice is the primary driver of consumer preference and the entire product landscape in the UK Building Sets and Construction Toys market. The four primary materials are Wood, Polymer, Metal, and Others. Wooden construction toys are gaining popularity among the parents in the UK, who demand more environment friendly products. Companies such as Melissa & Doug and Tegu have developed intricately crafted wooden blocks and building sets encouraging imaginative play. This aspect is especially versatile, well-made, and aesthetically pleasing, providing great appeal in playground settings, especially to younger children, and in communities that take particular care to preserve the environment, like a segment of urban ecology communities. Polymer toys- plastic toys in general, are the most popular with brands like LEGO and Playmobil on top. It is hard to miss those iconic British toys, especially the interlocking bricks made of high-quality ABS plastic by LEGO. This material is preferred due to its flexibility and variety of themed sets, which appeals to a wide demographic across the UK, mainly in bigger cities like London and Manchester, with higher incomes. Metal construction toys, especially by brands like Meccano, tend to target older children and hobbyists interested in engineering. There are the more complex structures that can be created with these sets, it is very popular in the Midlands where there is more focus given to science and technical subjects. Under the others category come biodegradable plastics and composites. Another interesting brand that utilizes magnetic parts is Geomag. Its products attract fans of new techniques of construction. This audience has recently started to grow fast owing to the increasingly critical attitude of consumers towards traditional materials.

Distribution channels are crucial in getting the product to the consumers, with two main routes: Offline and Online. Offline consists of traditional outlets, such as a toy store, department stores, or specialty shops. Major retailers like Toys "R" Us (when open), The Entertainer, and John Lewis are crucial in this route. Historically, this channel reported the maximum sales for this reason because most of the customers want to see the toys physically before purchasing them particularly in construction kits, so much dependent on quality and design. Besides, the offline stores also provide promotion events, in-store demonstrations, and an opportunity to take the product home, which increases the customer experience. The operation cost increases because of offline channels, and people tend to shift towards digital shopping, causing suffering for that channel. Forcing innovation Many retailers have had to enhance and advance their in-store experience as they seek to get their customers back into the physical environment. The online channel has exploded and the growth caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. These e-commerce sites, such as Amazon, eBay, and also websites of direct owners of the brand, like LEGO.com, have emerged and are finding comfort in offering convenience and a wider selection. The major ease with online sales occurs through the comparative price facility, user reviews, and home delivery facility, thus making these accessible to busy families and technology-friendly consumers. The rising trend of online shopping has, therefore, created new demands for customers as the main provider of building sets and construction toys.

Considered in this report
• Geography: United Kingdom
• Historic Year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029



Aspects covered in this report
• United Kingdom Toy Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Application wise tire industry distribution
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Product:
• Bricks & Blocks
• Tinker Toy
• Others

By Material:
• Wood
• Polymer
• Metal
• Others

By Distribution Channel:
• Offline
• Online

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to toy industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.