Playmobil makes a loss for the first time in the company's history

The Playmobil toy brand made a loss for the first time in its history in the past 2022/2023 financial year. Playmobil CEO Bahri Kurter told "Die Zeit". The turnover of the Horst Brandstätter Group's toy brand shrank from 653 million euros to 614 million euros. Kurter explained that he was "satisfied" with the Christmas business. At the beginning of October, the Franconian group of companies announced that it would cut 694 of its approximately 4,000 jobs worldwide by 2025. 

For the company, the following must apply in future: "No more thinking, more creativity," said Kurter. Children's play habits have changed and made business more difficult. "Relevance in children's bedrooms has fallen by a third," said the manager. Digital offerings in particular have come into competition with classic toys, which has reduced the target group. "Now Playmobil only works between the ages of four and eight," explained Kurter.

The path from product to brand

Playmobil was once intended for children up to the age of ten. Kurter was only appointed to the management of the Horst Brandstätter Group this year. In order to boost demand, he wants to appeal to all age groups in future: Playmobil is to be transformed "from a product into a brand" that is also of interest to young people and adults. Playmobil social games or emotional figures of prominent soccer players and other stars are being considered, for example.

https://www.zeit.de/2023/54/playmobil-spielzeugmarkt-verluste-bahri-kurter