Quarantino Time: the Rebirth of the Classic Game

According to the French NPD panel, games and toys sales during the first week of quarantine gave a fresh boost to classic board games and puzzles, especially Hasbro’s timeless Monopoly.

Anything to keep the family busy at home! During the first week of confinement, we noticed that the sales of toys and games like puzzles and board games increased considerably. NPD shows that the top ten of sales includes exclusively this type of product. Compared to the same week in 2019, the sales of puzzles jumped by a staggering 122% during the week of March 16-22, while board games rose by a still impressive 83%.

“Our figures show that consumers have relied on safe values for the whole family from the very beginning of the quarantine. In these uncertain times, French people are opting for the great classics – games and puzzles that have proven themselves over generations, and keep the whole family busy and united around simple and timeless activities to relieve stress and strengthen family bonds” according to Frédérique Tutt, global toy market expert at The NPD Group.

The French have always been very fond of board games and puzzles, but are now leading the European market for this type of products, with €578 million sales last year, up 10% compared to 2018. The French preferred the great classics by far, placing Hasbro’s famous Monopoly, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, at the top of the sales charts. Other great must-haves include La Bonne Paye (also Hasbro), Scrabble and Uno (both from Mattel) and Ravensburger puzzles.

Top 10 best selling toys for week March 16, 2020

In these challenging times, we can find some comfort in traditional games. Also for Icecat and Cedemo that did their own Monopoly a few days ago by joining forces in the toy and entertainment sectors. Moreover, we know that during this quarantine certain e-commerce categories are strongly rising, and others are hurt. But, definitely for toys, Icecat and Cedemo jointly have a good hand to play.

Source : https://www.lsa-conso.fr

Gabriel Renouard