STATE, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF THE CHILDREN’S TOYS MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The consumer toy market in Ukraine is full of products from different manufacturers, destinations, materials etc. Herewith, consumer preferences often change depending on global trends. Therefore, the study of the children's toys domestic market is relevant and important in the activities of market participants for making sound decisions. The purpose of the article is to analyze the dynamics and trends of the Ukrainian toys market, to identify problems and prospects for its development. It is determined that the toys market in Ukraine is developing dynamically, increasing by 10-15% annually. Today the share of imports on the toys market is over 85%. The lion's share of imports on the Ukrainian toys market is steadily occupied by China. Often these toys do not meet the quality and safety requirements. The domestic toys market remains scanty, but the production of plastic and wooden educational toys has been particularly dynamic recently. Leading manufacturers of toys use imported materials, equipment, technologies, produce products that meet the world quality requirements and actively seek for markets abroad. The largest quantities of Ukrainian toys are exported to Russia, Poland, USA and Latvia. It is determined that the main problems in the development of domestic toys production are the lack of state support; dependence of manufacturers on imported materials and equipment; lack of preferential lending; ineffective state control over the safety and quality of children's toys; lack of control over the psychological safety of toys; a small number of local brands and their inability to compete with global brands; dominance on the market of toys that promote a foreign culture and do not conform to the national cultural code; the complexity of the competition with cheap, non-branded, low quality Chinese toys that dominate on the market.