Lego builds record sales of £4bn as worried parents steer children away from phones

Lego said it could be benefiting from parents' desire to keep children - and themselves - away from smartphones as sales rose 12%, helped by strong sales of its Botanicals and its Formula One grand prix-themed sets.

- Sarah Butler

The Danish toy company said sales increased to a record 34.6bn Danish kroner (£4bn) in the first half of the year, rising well ahead of the recovering global toy market, in which sales were up by 7%.

Niels B Christiansen, Lego's chief executive, said the company could be profiting from parents who wanted to keep children away from phones because of the potential impact of social media on mental health.

Lego's strong sales come as Yoto, the UK-based creator of screen-free speakers for children, almost doubled its sales last year to £94.8m and said it expected to reach a profit in 2025 for the first time, according to a report in the Financial Times.

Research from the audience research company GWI found that social media addiction ranked among parents' top three fears for their children from a list that included the climate crisis and war.

Christiansen said: "We see ourselves as competing for children's time. The most important thing is to provide relevant and exciting experiences, and that could keep them away from smartphones."