Six out of the seven categories in the industry experienced dollar volume growth

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., February 10, 2021 – Dollar sales for the U.S. juvenile products industry reached $7.35 billion in 2020, an increase of 6.5% over 2019, according to The NPD Group. Units grew by 1.8 percent and the average retail price of $18.21 increased by 4.6 percent over the prior year. Six out of the seven categories within juvenile products experienced dollar volume growth.

Safety saw the most dollar growth, driven by sales of $587.5 million, an increase of 35% over 2019. All subcategories within Safety experienced sales increases, driven by Health & Grooming and Baby Gates. Combined sales of these two subcategories represented 92% of total category growth.

The second largest dollar growth category, Furniture, saw sales top $952.1 million in 2020, an increase of 17%. Cribs / Toddler Beds, Children’s Furniture, and Baby Furniture captured the bulk of dollar growth.

At $963.6 million, Entertainment was the third largest dollar growth category, with Activity Seats / Jumpers, and Swings generating the most growth. Mobiles and Infant Plush, were the two subcategories to experience dollar sales declines, down 7% and 2%, respectively.

Travel, the largest category representing nearly one-third of industry sales, declined by 6%. All five subcategories within Travel experienced losses, with the fastest declines coming from Diaper/Travel Bags and Travel Accessories, declining 20% and 15%, respectively.

The remaining categories, Feeding, Bed Bath, and Mobility Furniture, saw sales increase 5%, 8%, and 10%, respectively. The only declines within Feeding came from the Rattles & Toy Teethers/Toy Pacifiers subcategory, which declined 2%. Changing Pads was the only subcategory in Bed Bath to experience sales losses, down 7%. All subcategories in Mobility Furniture saw sales increases.

“COVID-19 had a significant impact on 2020 as parents spent more on products where they had the strongest immediate needs as they navigated through this period,” said Juli Lennett, NPD’s Juvenile Products industry advisor. “We expect that as families with babies and toddlers feel safer out in public, potentially driven by the vaccine, sales will be more evenly distributed across categories like what they were prior to the pandemic.”

U.S. Juvenile Products Category Sales Performance

Category 2019 2020 % Change Contribution
Safety $436MM $587MM 35 % 8%
Furniture $813MM $952MM 17 % 13%
Entertainment $856MM $964MM 13 % 13%
Feeding $1.31B $1.38B 5 % 19 %
Bed Bath $821MM $884MM 8 % 12 %
Mobility Furniture $512MM $564MM 10 % 8 %
Travel $2.15B $2.02B -6% 28%
Grand Total $6.9B $7.35B 6.5 %  

Source: The NPD Group / Retail Tracking Service / Juvenile Products / Annual 2019 – 2020

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