Top toymakers say sales are sliding

Barbie is the most popular dolls ever created, but it seems she is falling out of favour and facing increasing competition from the likes of the Disney Princess collection. That spells trouble for Matell, the world’s biggest toy maker.

It has reported a drop in profits with worldwide sales of Barbie down 13 per cent in the third quarter of the year compared with the same period last year. Matell’s biggest US rival Hasbro, which is best known for Transformers and My Little Pony, also saw its sales drop by the same amount – two per cent. Both commpanies are blaming uncertainty in the economy and the retail sectorwhich they said means shops are not ordering early for the Christmas holiday season. That is when they make most of their profits.

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