Easter and Valentine's Day are establishing themselves as strategic moments for the Brazilian toy market, significantly boosting plush toy sales during the first half of the year, according to data from Circana, a global data tech company for consumer behaviour analysis. The survey reveals that unit sales of plush toys grew by 19% during Easter week in 2024 – between the 25th and 31st of March – compared to the same period in 2023.
Data indicates that plush toys with mechanisms performed most strongly, with a 92% increase compared to the previous year. Plush toys without licensing also showed a significant increase of 79%, with Turma da Mônica licensing leading the category's growth, recording 1,22% more sales in the period.
In the week of Valentine's Day 2024, plush toy revenue increased by 32% compared to the same week in 2023, and by 26% compared to the week prior. Traditional plush toys (without mechanisms) saw a revenue increase of 28%, while plush toys with mechanisms experienced a significant rise of 94%.
According to Circana, the average price of cuddly toys during Easter week was R$ 32, while it reached R$ 76 during Valentine's Day week. Despite the difference in average prices, Easter week saw significantly higher sales, achieving three times the turnover of Valentine's Day week. In terms of units sold, the difference is even more pronounced, with six times more cuddly toys being sold during Easter compared to Valentine's Day.
"Easter and Valentine's Day remain crucial moments for the toy market in Brazil, particularly for the plush segment," comments Nicole Neves, account analyst at Circana. "This year's sales data reflects not only a significant increase in sales volume, but also a strong demand for plushies with special features, such as mechanisms and specific licenses, like Turma da Mônica."
