Search
Close this search box.

Retro toy sales to soar this Bank Holiday, predicts Argos, as kids put down their screens

This is an archived article - we have removed images and other assets but have left the text unchanged for your reference

Sales of retro toys are set to soar this Bank Holiday weekend, according to Argos, where retail experts predict that kids will leave their smartphone and tablet behind and head outside for good old fashioned fun.

With Britain set to bask in temperatures of 30C, the leading toy retailer analysed the sales boost that July’s record-breaking heatwave generated for its traditional toys.If this Bank Holiday follows the same retail pattern, sales of some old favourites could almost double.

Trying to keep cool in the heat, Argos customers boosted sales of old school favourite Mr Frosty The Ice Crunch Maker by almost 40 per cent week-on-week in the blistering sunshine.

The nostalgia didn’t end there as sales of the Slush Puppie Slushie Machine grew by 88 per cent, boosted by fans of 80s-set Netflix hit Stranger Things, who have been posting images of themselves online ordering Cherry Slurpees, the iconic drink loved by bespectacled character, Alexei. 

The retro resurgence is set to continue outside of iced treats too, with Argos data showing that sales of paddling pools doubled during the midsummer heat.

Water guns and super soakers proved popular with a 70 per cent sales increase year-on-year, while sales of the Chad Valley Slide and Splash Inflatable Bowling soared 72 per cent year-on-year as kids returned to slipping and sliding down the garden.

Not happy with just slurping and splashing around in the sun, Argos customers are set to skate down memory lane, with roller skates sales potentially rising by 41 per cent year-on-year if the July pattern is repeated.  Swingball, the classic garden favourite, could even see sales double.*

Juliet Ward, Head of Toys and Leisure Buying at Argos, says: “Kids are so engrossed in apps and games these days, it’s really encouraging to see sales of classic outdoor toy favourites rise dramatically when the sun comes out. Generations of children have enjoyed Mr Frosty and Swingball and it seems the warm summer weather will persuade kids out of their bedrooms and into the backyard once again.”

Read More

Register for Newsletter

Group 4 Copy 3Created with Sketch.

Receive 3 newsletters per week

Group 3Created with Sketch.

Gain access to all Top500 research

Group 4Created with Sketch.

Personalise your experience on IR.net