You would have heard of the old proverb that goes “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. 

So – we’re going to talk all about play, and in particular about the future of play with our guest today, Toys “R” Us Asia. 

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Toys “R” Us Asia operates around 460 stores across Asia, with an aim to fuel imagination and inspire the next generation through the power of toys and play. 

That means providing toys and experiences for both children and also what it terms as “kidults”.

What is key to note, though, is that Toys”R” Us is independent from the other Toys “R” Us companies we see in the rest of the world.

For Toys “R” Us Asia specifically, its footprint spans across Mainland China, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. The firm also licences over 90 additional stores in the Philippines and Macau.

Now, Toys “R” Us Asia  is an interesting company to look at because of how drastically the toy industry has changed globally in recent years. 

According to a report by market research firm Circana out in June 2024, consumers aged 18 and above spent US$1.5 billion in toy-related purchases from January through April. The numbers meant that the adults outstripped the three-to five-year-old consumer group as the most important demographic age group for the toy industry. 

But what opportunities does this present for toy retailers like Toys “R” Us Asia? And what will this mean in terms of store layouts, and products to bring on the shelves?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Leo Tsoi, CEO and Board Member at Toys“R”Us Asia.