Greetings folks,

Just thought I'd put a post up commenting on an odd trend I've noticed in my local Lego stockists in the UK.

Since the new year, and perhaps sometime before, I've noticed that all of the major Lego stockists in my town, Wolverhampton, have either stopped stocking Lego, or dramatically reduced their stock. This includes chains such as The Entertainer and Toys R Us, as well as Woolworths going bump. I figured this may well be a case of stock depletion due to the Christmas rush, and have since checked regularily to see if they have restocked. However, I find that the shelf space once devoted to Lego has since been filled with inferior products (e.g. Anything not Lego).

Has anyone noticed this occuring in their local area in the UK? I'm really looking forward to a number of sets this year, and I fear I won't be able to get hold of them in the traditional way. Yes, I know I can get them online, but nothing beats actually walking into a shop and choosing which box of Lego goodness you going to buy!

I look forward to hearing your views on this.

Cheers,

Kurtt

I noticed it in some places here in Ireland, though most have restocked now. Unsurprisingly, shops will not leave shelf space idle, so I wouldn't worry if the shelves are temporarily taken up with other products. One of the main toy retailers here in Ireland, Smyth's Toys, has quite variable shelf space for Lego depending on time of year. Before Christmas it's an entire side of a warehouse aisle in most outlets.

Tesco here in Ireland still seem to have no new Lego stock. They had managed to expand the Lego section to an entire segment of shelves before Christmas, now it's just a shelf or two of leftovers (mostly speed racer).

my local TRU's Lego section was full of pre-school toys and what not ... but I rather suspect this was just the forerunner to when they do a re-stock shortly with all of the new lines etc.

I don't think it's anything to worry about.

It's the same here (in Reading). Toys R Us has virtually nothing besides a few big MM, big Castle and the more expensive SW sets (although I did find a mini MTT there the other week for £3!)

The entertainer has the harbour (£70!) and a couple of the smaller sets too.

John Lewis has had a restock and there's Argos. My local Tesco also has very few sets - but the two small Power Miners ones are available.

It's getting annoying - I'm having to resort to ebay... although I did receive a rather large Shop at Home package this morning (harbour!!!)

Hi,

Smyths in Walsall have restocked {they were adding in new stock just yesterday afternoon} and have even got some Spongebob sets as well as the following which I noticed;

New SW battlepacks [8014 & 8015]

New power miners sets

New SW hyena droid bomber

New city sets

New Creator sets

They also seem to have some large Agents sets up on top of the shelves, but could not see which ones they were.

All the prices have gone up mind you!

They have also put the prices up for the older SW battle packs [7667 & 7668] to the same as that for the new ones to £9.99 each, I find this very annoying as they are the same stock they had before Xmas and were selling at £8.99.

This is an 11.1% increase in price.

So much for Gordon Browns change in VAT eh!

Cheers Alex.

AlexB: I'm not surprised at the price rises - think about it, Smyth's have been selling the same items for the usual Euro RRP in Ireland and a vastly lower price in UK due to the weak pound. That can only be a short term situation. It's inevitable that the UK price will go up, and the longer the exchange rate continues as it is, the more likely that other retailers in the UK will have to raise prices. If the pound falls lower or crashes, the UK is in deep deep trouble for a host of other more serious reasons than prices going up due to the high import costs.

Hi,

This is a little off topic I know, but I understand the issues with the euro and weak pound however this is stock that was in their warehouse last year {at least 3 months old} and they paid for it {if what he manager tells me is true} over 6 months ago. Its like petrol prices, they always go straight up, but take forever to come down. I know thats slightly different as thats linked to tax and specific dates, but its the principles.

They are just making more profit on this stock than they did before xmas.

Cheers Alex.

yes its the same around here.

as for the low £ price, its actually not though for people that live here. so if they put prices up by 30% they will watch their marketshare and stores stock levels fall greatly. while the $ was weak they didnt increase the price by the same huge %, if they had it would now be one of most expensive markets now $ is strong again.

Argos (well the one in Stevenage and their website anyway!) have good stock and the Lego store in Bluewater has absolutely heaving shelves of stock. The place is litterally packed with stock.

I also noticed that my local Tesco Extra has run out of all Lego other than Indiana Jones but that they have changed the signage above a whole section of shelves to the Lego logo. This has happened since they ran out of stock so they must be expecting more in.

I think that it is just taking a while for stock to trickle through to other retailers.

Cheers

Rog

Our local CO-OP toy section has stock of some of the new sets but even so actual LEGO shelf space has declined again, it keeps getting pushed out by Playmobile. Don't know what happened to the stock they didn't sell before Christmas, most of it has now disappeared to make way for the new stuff.

Slightly off topic but relevant is one theme we won't see in UK shops this year.

Apparently lacking at the UK toyfair this week, Space Police 3 has been confirmed as a US trial only.

See, I have noticed a rise in stock, in the local Tesco and ASDA supermarkets. The ASDA never had much in stock before (it was opposite the biggest Woolworths shop in South Wales) but on Sunday I found it to have the new Town, Pirate and Powe Miner sets in stock and quite a lot of Creator too. The Tesco went from some small selection of Tiny Turbos to Star Wars and Indiana Jones (I have yet to go to the larger on that is further away.)

The entertainer on the other hand is a TFOLs dream... nothing but Star Wars and Bionicle on their shelves *miffed* but it is in Cardiff so I do not have to go there often.

In conclusion. I am quite lucky to have found lots of Lego of varying themes in shops I visit on a more than twice weekly basis.

As someone who works in Tesco, what generally happens is we get caught between the 2008 and 2009 ranges and it takes a little time to sort things out after Xmas. Hopefully this week and next you should start to see the new layouts for toys being carried out and the shelfs being filled. In the store I work in we will have two shelf units for standard LEGO, with Star Wars and Indians Jones LEGO being grouped beside their relevant Hasbro counterparts. I think I am right in thinking that this is not the major spring toy launch for this year as we re-address the space later on to expand outdoor toys, cutting back on other areas.

Well, its not all bad news at least. I didn't realise there was a Smyths in Walsall. I'm not a million miles from there, so might have a trip over this afternoon, wife-willing :D

Sad news about Space Police 3 though. Looks like I'll have to pick some of those sets up off ebay.

Cheers,

Kurtt