BATTLING to buy the best toy at Christmas could prove even tougher for parents this year as shops keep stocks low because of the credit crunch.
The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) revealed fears of recession have made shops reluctant to take risks – and that shelves could be half empty by 24 December.
Some of the most popular toys, such as Etch-a-sketch, are already in short supply with
ten weeks to go until Christmas.
But the financial crisis could also benefit shoppers, as prices may tumble if retailers panic after slow early sales.
The TRA issued the warning as it unveiled the list of the gifts it believes will top sales charts this year.
It includes the Baby Born with Magic Potty, which is popular for performing "human functions".
Others include robots costing hundreds of pounds and retro classics for budget-conscious and nostalgic parents, such as Star Wars and Sesame Street gifts. Stuart Grant, TRA spokesman, said: "No-one wants to be left with lots of high-price products they can't sell, they just want to get through Christmas and still be in a good position, so they are not taking risks.
"But if certain toys are very popular, this could quickly lead to shortages and there is a potential for scenes like we had a few years ago when parents were fighting over Tellytubby dolls."
However, he predicted parents would leave it late to buy gifts and that could result in price cuts and bargains for shoppers. He said: "I think we will find a number of big retailers are going to be doing some silly things – cutting their prices drastically – because they will lose their nerve."
Lindsay Hardy, a spokesman for Flair Leisure Products, said this year marked a resurgence of toys parents remembered from their own youth.
He said: "Everyone remembers Morph and Etch-a-sketch from our childhoods … and parents love them so much we think a lot of them are buying them for themselves."
Other toys expected to sell well reflect more recent children's entertainment, such as the High School Musical Dance Mat or In The Night Garden's Upsy Daisy.
The girls' list also includes Bratz, High School Musical and Barbie dolls.
Bob the Builder is predicted to remain popular with younger children, while special editions of classic board games such as Monopoly and Scrabble are also expected to be big sellers .
The TRA has around 250 members, accounting for 60 per cent of toy retailers in the UK.
Its independent predictions for this year's most popular toys take into account what consumers are requesting and the latest trends in new products.
The full article contains 448 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
