British retail bosses report a big surge in demand for physical collectibles among young people, with squishy dumplings, trading cards, and K-Pop CDs proving particularly popular.
One chain said that it is selling thousands of squishies every week, as retailers tap into popular culture to drive sales among children and young adults.
Music and entertainment retailer HMV, which operates 114 stores across the UK, has seen a 12 per cent increase in visitor numbers during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2025.
The trajectory suggests about 50 million store visits are anticipated over the course of this year.
The growth is largely attributed to post-pandemic efforts to revitalise store spaces.
That includes creating dedicated zones for pop culture merchandise, including soft squishy toys, trading cards, and K-pop items.
HMV’s managing director Phil Halliday said: “For years, it was quiet on a Saturday, and that’s when the kids used to come in.
“The store colleagues will tell you, it’s heaving on a Saturday now… and you can see it in the numbers.
“Kids are coming back in because they want to be around each other and spaces where they can gather to share experiences… not everyone wants to sit at home on the computer,” he said.
High street chain The Works also said it was getting a boost from children coming into shops with pocket money to spend.
The retailer has more than 500 shops in the UK and Ireland and sells items including books, toys and games, arts and crafts, and stationery.
It said that squishies had surged in popularity since May and it was selling thousands a week – including the “mini dumplings”, which can be calming for children to squeeze in their hands as well as becoming an item to collect and trade.
The Works also highlighted sales growth for products like Pokemon cards, children’s colouring and puzzle books, crafts and art supplies.
The company has taken a punt on a “screen-free” strategy after noticing increased demand from parents looking for activities to reduce their children’s screen time, according to chief executive Gavin Peck.
He said: “We’ve seen a lot more people, even adults, taking up art, thinking ‘I want to try colouring books or I want to try crafting to ease my mind’.
“We’ve seen real demand coming from customers.”
The government has announced plans to ban social media for under-16s, which could be in place by spring 2027.
Mr Peck said: “If the government gets behind something it certainly heightens the overall screen-free message and therefore we’re there to support those customers that are looking for screen-free alternatives, so it can only have a positive impact on us.”
Meanwhile, Mr Halliday said that popular musicians like Olivia Rodrigo, Ariane Grande, Olivia Dean and BTS were also driving a resurgence in demand for music in physical formats, despite access to streaming.
This has translated into stronger trading for HMV, with vinyl sales up 27 per cent in stores and 45 per cent online year-on-year, while CD sales have jumped by a 10th.
Interest in CDs has been led in part by young people buying K-pop albums.
“A lot of that product is on CD,” Mr Halliday said, adding: “We’ve definitely doubled down on it and tried to really improve the offer. And kids are seeing it as a more cost-effective alternative to vinyl.”
“There is an entire depth of experience and connection with these products that you don’t get from streaming,” he said, also pointing to sustained demand for DVDs.
“There is definitely a sentiment shift towards physical ownership.”
The appeal of collecting “retro” technology among younger people has extended to devices, with eBay pointing to a surge in the number of searches and prices of the iPhone 5C – which was introduced by Apple in 2013.
The company said searches increased by 164 per cent globally in the year to January 2026 while the average sales price increased by 55 per cent in the UK.
