Toy Retailers Association
| Type | Trade association |
|---|---|
| Industry | Toy industry |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Alan Simpson, Chairman |
| Website | toyretailersassociation.co.uk |
The Toy Retailers Association is a trade association that represents its members in the UK & Ireland. It promotes the role of the toy retailer and the value of toys to the consumer. It represents about 75% of the toy trade.[1] It is based in Bodmin, Cornwall.
History[]
The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) was first established as the National Association of Toy Retailers in 1950 and changed its name first to the British Association of Toy Retailers (BATR) and then the Toy Retailers Association in 2005. It acts as both a watchdog and persuader to ensure fair play for toy retailers and represents the toy retail sector on government panels and safety organisations in the UK.
Awards[]
The association organises DreamToys, where the top 12 and top 72 toys for Christmas are chosen every November. The press-only event is held at St Mary's Church in Marylebone, London.[2] The TRA also organises the Toy of the Year Awards, an event where the Toy of the Year award and other prizes are presented, including Toy Shop of the Year, Supplier of the Year and Multiple Retailer of the Year. The event is held on the first night of the UK Toy Fair at Olympia, London, each year in January.
Affiliated members[]
- Early Learning Centre
- Hamleys
- The Entertainer
- Smyths
- Toytown Stores
- Argos
- Toymaster
Toy of the Year[]
The Toy of the Year awards began in 1965 and are presented annually at an awarding dinner held during the at Olympia in January. The criteria are that the toy must have been very popular in the past year and excited interest among customers and retailers in the toy market.
- 1965 - James Bond Aston Martin die-cast car[3]
- 1966 - Action Man (Palitoy)[3]
- 1967 - Spirograph (Denys Fisher)[3]
- 1968 - Sindy (Pedigree Toys)[3]
- 1969 - Hot Wheels[4]
- 1970 - Sindy[3]
- 1971 - writing doll[4]
- 1972 - modelling kits[4]
- 1973 - Mastermind board game[4]
- 1974 - Lego Family set[3]
- 1975 - Lego Basic set[3]
- 1976 - Peter Powell (kite)[4]
- 1977 - Playmobil Playpeople[4]
- 1978 - Combine Harvester (Britains Limited)[4][5]
- 1979 - Legoland Space kits[4]
- 1980 - Rubik's Cube[3]
- 1981 - Rubik's Cube[3]
- 1982 - Star Wars toys[3]
- 1983 - Star Wars toys[3]
- 1984 - Masters of the Universe[4]
- 1985 - Transformers (Optimus Prime)[3]
- 1986 - Transformers (Optimus Prime)[3]
- 1987 - Sylvanian Families[4]
- 1988 - Sylvanian Families[4]
- 1989 - Sylvanian Families[4]
- 1990 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles[3]
- 1991 - Nintendo Game Boy[4]
- 1992 - WWF Wrestlers[4]
- 1993 - Thunderbirds Tracy Island[3]
- 1994 - Power Rangers[4]
- 1995 - Pogs[4]
- 1996 - Barbie[3]
- 1997 - Teletubbies[3]
- 1998 - Furby[3]
- 1999 - Furby Babies[1]
- 2000 - Teksta[4]
- 2001 - Bionicles (Lego)[4]
- 2002 - Beyblades[3]
- 2003 - Beyblades[3]
- 2004 - RoboSapien[4]
- 2005 - Tamagotchi Connexion[4]
- 2006 - Doctor Who Cyberman Mask[4]
- 2007 - In the Night Garden... Blanket Time Iggle Piggle[4]
- 2008 - Ben 10 Action Figures 10” and 15”[4]
- 2009 - Go Go Hamsters[3]
- 2010 - Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear[6]
- 2011 - LeapPad Explorer[7][3]
- 2012 - Furby[8]
- 2013 - Teksta[9]
- 2014 - Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa[10]
- 2015 - Pie Face[11]
- 2016 - Hatchimals[12]
- 2017 - L.O.L. Surprise[13]
- 2018 - L.O.L. Surprise[14]
References[]
- ^ a b Guardian Staff (31 January 2000). "Lego is toy of the century". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "DreamToys". toyretailersassociation.co.uk. November 13, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Over 50 years of toy of the year". BBC News. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Toy of the Year 1965-2007 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "MF Massey Ferguson, 760 - Britains Ltd - V&A Search the Collections". collections.vam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2010 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2011 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2012 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2013 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2014 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2015 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year 2016 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year Awards 2017 - Toy Retailers Association". www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Toy of the Year Awards 2018 - Toy Retailers Association" (PDF). www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
External links[]
- Trade associations based in the United Kingdom
- Toy companies of the United Kingdom
- Organisations based in Lincolnshire
- Organizations established in 1950
- Toy retailers
- 1950 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Toy industry
- Children's media and toys awards