THIS WEEK: Hasbro changes its shape in shelf wars

The battle for shelf space has now hit the toy industry, with Hasbro

Toys planning to spend over pounds 1m rationalising box sizes for its

best-selling games including Monopoly, Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit and

Jenga.

The move cuts the number of box sizes from more than 30 to just six

‘modular’ sizes which will be used across Europe. The company has been

working on the modified boxes for the past two years and has spent most

of the pounds 1m on remaking the games to fit the new sizes. The boxes

will go on shelf within four months.

Particularly affected are the larger children’s games, such as Guess

Who? and Twister. Many family-oriented games, such as Monopoly, were

found to be close to the new standard sizes, although the boxes will be

slightly shorter and deeper.

Hasbro Toys, which holds around 55% of the games market, hopes the move

will increase the number of facings on the shelf at retail outlets,

decrease the amount of shelf space wasted, and improve shelf

productivity.

‘Our view is that if the retail trade maintains the shelf capacity given

to our product we could increase business by 20%-25%,’ said Bryan Ellis,

marketing director of Hasbro Toys.

‘Some retailers may decide to put space to other products, but we hope

our range is strong enough and that they will not do that,’ he added.

This article was first published on Marketing