Carole Ferry edited by Solène Delinger
The month of December 2021 is already shaping up to be particularly stressful for parents. Because all the toys on their children’s Santa Claus list may not be available in stores. Lack of raw material, closed factories, increase in the price of transport … Carole Ferry, journalist in the economy of Europe 1, explains the reasons for this risk of shortage.
Summer is barely coming to an end but all eyes are already on Christmas. A shortage of toys could indeed affect the sector for multiple reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Carole Ferry, journalist for the economy of Europe 1, explains to us why stockouts are looming this year at Santa Claus.
Shortage of containers and closure of Asian ports
This is when the orders should arrive in the warehouses to be distributed on time to the stores. But logistics have a huge grain of sand this year. Chinese factories were unable to produce as much as expected. Added to this is the shortage of containers and also the closure of Asian ports. As a result, the large toy store chains fear they will not be ready for catalog release in mid-October. “We are told that everything cannot be delivered or that everything cannot be delivered immediately”, explains Philippe Gueydon, president of King Jouet, at the microphone of Carole Ferry. “We are told about a delay of fifteen days, a month or even two months. We will be delivered partially or in any case not on the deadlines which had been initially agreed”.
No brand is completely spared
This mainly concerns products that come from Asia, potentially good news for our French manufacturers. Except that today, almost no brand is completely spared. According to the president of the French Toy Association, Alain Ingberg, they certainly have fewer problems, but problems nonetheless. “A toy that has no electronics doesn’t need China. As soon as you have a microchip or a motor, or things are imported, that’s a problem,” he explains to Carole Ferry for Europe 1. These supply difficulties therefore affect almost everyone and which should necessarily have repercussions on prices.
As an entertainment author with over 7 years of experience, I bring a diverse background to my writing. I have a proven track record in the journalism industry. My expertise extends beyond writing, as I have experience producing video content for websites and social media platforms, offering a well-rounded perspective on the entertainment world
