I've spent more than £3,000 on Jellycats'
Amanda Hope dreads to think how much she has spent on her collection of Jellycat soft toys but reckons it's more than £3,000.
I've spent more than £3,000 on Jellycats'Amanda Hope dreads to think how much she has spent on her collection of Jellycat soft toys but reckons it's more than £3,000.They are just so cute and cuddly," the 36-year-old software specialist from Surrey says. "There is something so irresistible about their happy little faces!"Amanda is one of a rising number of adults buying toys for themselves.
And it's not just Jellycats, it's also the likes of Lego plastic bricks and Sonny Angels dolls filling up TikTok feeds as people post videos of their latest purchases.One in five toys and games is now bought by over-18s for themselves, according The research found buying collectibles had positive mental health benefits that helped adults cope with turmoil.From eggs with faces to smiley coffee cups, the Jellycat craze has made a big impact on the toy industry and a TikTok trend for unboxing Sonny Angels has put the tiny dolls in high demand.
These toys don't necessarily come cheap though. Jellycats range in price from £11 to over £700, while Lego gift sets for adults can cost as much as £730.So why are so many adults spending their disposable income on toys?The popularity of Sonny Angel and Jellycat illustrates the growing kidult trend," says Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, who has covered the retail sector for many years.
"Although globally toy sales saw a small 0.6% decline overall in 2024, collectible toys saw record sales."Sonny Angels are sold in blind boxes so customers never know what they will get and therefore may buy more.Ms Streeter thinks "a desire to be part of a fandom universe" is fuelling sales and the need for nostalgia "amid the stresses of adulthood".
