Interest has decreased
Playmobil makes a loss for the first time in the company’s history
December 19, 2023, 1:14 p.m
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Playmobil has been an integral part of many children’s rooms for decades. The Horst Brandstätter Group has done good business with the brand. But times have changed: There is tough competition, which is causing red numbers for the first time.
The Playmobil toy brand made a loss for the first time in its company history in the past 2022/2023 financial year. Playmobil boss Bahri Kurter told “Zeit”. Sales of the Horst Brandstätter Group’s toy brand fell to 614 million euros from 653 million euros. Kurter said he was “satisfied” with the Christmas business. The Franconian group of companies announced at the beginning of October that it would cut 694 of the approximately 4,000 jobs worldwide by 2025.
The following must apply to the company in the future: “Away with bans on thinking, more creativity,” said Kurter. The children’s playing habits have changed and business has become more difficult. “The relevance in children’s rooms has fallen by a third,” said the manager. Digital offerings in particular have come into competition with classic toys, meaning the target group has become smaller. “Now Playmobil only works between four and eight years,” explained Kurter.
Playmobil was once intended for children up to the age of ten. Kurter was only appointed to the management of the Horst Brandstätter Group this year. In order to stimulate demand, he wants to appeal to all age groups in the future: Playmobil should “transform from a product into a brand” that is also interesting for young people and adults. Playmobil board games or emotional figures of prominent football players and other stars are being considered.
The Playmobil toy figures, which were first presented at the Toy Fair in 1974, are known worldwide. However, according to industry experts, the company has missed important trends in recent years, such as digitalization. The Danish competitor Lego has changed better here.