Easter and Valentine's Day are established as strategic moments for the toy market in Brazil, significantly boosting plush toy sales during the first half of the year, according to data from Circana, a global data tech company for consumer behavior analysis. According to the survey, the unit sales of plush toys increased by 19% during the Easter week in 2024 – from March 25 to 31 – compared to the same period in 2023.
The data indicates that plush toys with mechanisms were the most prominent, with a 92% increase compared to the previous year. Licensed plush toys also showed a remarkable increase of 79%, with the Turma da Mônica license leading the growth in the category, recording 122% more sales during the period.
During the week of Valentine's Day 2024, plush toy sales increased by 32% compared to the same week in 2023, and by 26% compared to the week prior to the date. The traditional plush segment (without mechanisms) experienced a 28% increase in revenue, with the biggest highlight being plush toys with mechanisms, which showed a significant growth of 94%.
According to Circana, during the Easter week, the average price of plush toys was R$ 32, while during the Valentine's Day week, it reached R$ 76. Despite the difference in average prices, the Easter week stood out even more in terms of revenue, achieving three times more sales than the Valentine's Day week. In terms of units sold, the difference is even more significant, with six times more plush toys being sold during Easter compared to Valentine's Day.
Easter and Valentine's Day remain crucial moments for the toy market in Brazil, especially for the plush toy segment, says Nicole Neves, account analyst at Circana. This year's sales data reflect not only a significant increase in sales volume but also a strong demand for plush toys with special features, such as mechanisms and specific licenses, like Monica's Gang.
