Port Washington, NY (PRWEB) February 16, 2017
Dollar sales for the U.S. durable juvenile products industry reached $6.4 billion and grew 2 percent in 2016, according to global information company The NPD Group. Units grew by 2 percent and the average retail price of $17.98 increased by 1 percent over the prior year. Gains in the Travel, Safety, and Feeding categories drove the industry.
Travel, the largest category representing nearly one-third of industry sales, grew by 6 percent. The biggest dollar growth drivers by brands were Graco and Baby Trend. Car seats represented 52 percent of sales for this category and experienced a healthy 10 percent increase.
For the second year in a row, car seats contributed the strongest dollar growth of any subcategory in the industry. This was driven by the highest increase in average retail price across subcategories of over 6 percent. Premium-priced car seats are seeing a growth surge.
“Parents look for innovation and variety in the products they purchase for their children, with cost not being the determining factor, especially when it comes to their child’s well-being,” said Juli Lennett, senior vice president, U.S. toys and juvenile products industry analyst, The NPD Group. “Having a clear understanding of how these products are selling and the impact they’re having across categories is integral for manufacturers and retailers alike.”
Safety is the smallest category, comprising 5 percent of industry sales, but saw some of the highest gains at 4 percent. The brand Regalo had the largest dollar growth, or 40 percent of gaining brands in this category. Baby gates made up 45 percent of sales in this category and grew 7 percent in 2016.
Feeding had the third-fastest category growth at 3 percent. Brands with the largest dollar growth were Munchkin and Dr. Brown’s. Bottles/nipples comprised 27 percent of sales and grew by 2 percent.
The Entertainment category represented 14 percent of industry sales and was flat versus the prior year. Ingenuity, Graco, and Kids II were the largest dollar-gaining brands, and combined their gains were 40 percent of all gaining brands.
The Bed Bath category made up 12 percent of industry sales, and here sales were also flat. The Levtex Baby brand had the largest dollar growth, and its gain was 18 percent of all gaining brands. Bedding contributed 45 percent of sales, yet declined 4 percent for the year.
Furniture, the second-largest category with 22 percent of industry sales, experienced a 1 percent decline in 2016. The largest gaining brand was Graco, with a $17 million increase in sales. Playards made up the largest portion of category sales and experienced a 6 percent increase.
Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / Retail Tracking Service, Annual 2016
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group provides market information and business solutions that drive better decision-making and better results. The world’s leading brands rely on us to help them get the right products in the right places for the right people. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, diamonds, e-commerce, entertainment, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, technology, toys, video games, and watches / jewelry. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup @npdtoys