In a surprising turn of events, retail industry leaders in the UK have suddenly noticed a significant surge in the demand for physical collectibles among young people, with squishy toys, trading cards, and K-Pop CDs particularly in vogue.
One chain store in the UK has been selling thousands of squishy stress-relief toys every week, and retailers are leveraging this trend to drive consumption among children and young adults.
According to a report by The Independent on August 10th, HMV, a UK music and entertainment retailer with 114 stores in the country, witnessed a 12% increase in foot traffic in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2025. It is projected that the annual foot traffic will reach 50 million this year.
Phil Halliday, the general manager of HMV, noted, “For years, our stores were quiet on Saturdays, a day when children might visit. But recently, store colleagues would tell you that Saturdays are now bustling with people…”
“Kids are coming back here because they want to be with their peers, to find a place to share experiences together… not everyone wants to stay at home in front of a computer,” he said.
The Works, a high street chain store in the UK, also reported that children are coming to their stores with pocket money, bringing a sudden buzz to the storefront.
With over five hundred stores in the UK and Ireland, The Works sells a variety of products including books, toys and games, arts and crafts, and stationery.
The company stated that the popularity of squishy toys has soared since May, with weekly sales reaching thousands, including “mini dumplings” that children can squeeze to relieve stress, making them popular items for collecting and trading.
The Works highlighted the sales growth of products like Pokémon cards, children’s coloring and puzzle books, arts and crafts, and art supplies.
CEO Gavin Peck mentioned that the company has noticed more parents seeking activities to reduce their children’s screen time, stating, “We see more and more people, even adults, engaging in artistic activities, wanting to try coloring books or crafting to relax.”
“We are recognizing genuine customer demand,” he said.
On June 15th this year, the UK government announced plans to ban social media use for teenagers under 16, a measure that may come into effect in the spring of 2027. The government announcement stated that “social media is making children unhappy.”
Following a similar social media ban in Australia, the UK aims to further crack down on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots and introduce more measures to enforce age verification, with ninety percent of parents in the UK supporting this decision.
Peck noted, “If the government supports this measure, it will definitely enhance the overall ‘screentime-less’ concept, and we will support customers seeking screen-free alternatives, which will only have a positive impact on store operations.”
Meanwhile, Halliday mentioned that despite the convenience of streaming music anytime and anywhere, popular musicians like Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, Olivia Dean, and BTS have driven a resurgence in the demand for physical music.
Currently, HMV is seeing robust sales growth, with vinyl record sales at physical stores increasing by 27% from the same period last year, online sales up by 45%, and CD sales growing by 10%.
The interest in purchasing K-Pop albums has fueled people’s fascination with CDs.
Halliday remarked, “Many of these products come in CD format… kids also find CDs more cost-effective than vinyl records.”
“The experience and emotional connection these products bring are unmatched by streaming services,” he said. “People’s mindset is indeed shifting towards tangible ownership.”