The nostalgic effect of finding a Pokémon Tazo when opening a packet of chips, it would seem, is not lost on the South African consumer as the latest shopping trend of purchasing 'mystery boxes' in the country has seen a meteoric rise.
According to popular toy store, Toys R Us, South Africans are buying around 240 blind collectibles a day, with sales across the category growing amongst people of all ages, as the global fascination with mystery toys, collecting and unboxing culture gathers momentum locally.
The toy store added that 'blind boxes' are emerging as a particularly fast-growing part of the category.
Blind-box culture, as the trend is referred to, is a global collecting trend where consumers buy sealed, identical packaging without knowing the specific item inside until they open it.
Toys R Us sales data revealed that blind-box sales has achieved over ten times the amount when compared to the same period from last year. The company said that it has been driven by a growing demand for established ranges and a significant expansion in the number of brands available.
More than 41,500 blind collectibles have been sold through Toys R Us stores and online since the retailer's financial year began in March.
The category includes blind boxes, eggs, capsules and other surprise formats, while more than 4,400 blind boxes alone have been sold, equivalent to about 26 a day.
The surge comes as the global popularity of mystery collectibles continues to grow, fuelled by collecting, scarcity, unboxing videos and social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
While much of the international attention has focused on Pop Mart and its popular Labubu characters, Toys R Us said its South African sales point to a broader consumer appetite for collecting rather than a single viral product.
“What we're seeing isn't about one brand or one character,” said Catherine Jacoby, Marketing Manager at Toys R Us South Africa.
“There is something about the combination of collecting, surprise and discovery that consumers really respond to,” Jacoby said.
Mini Brands, Rainbocorns, Squishmallows, 5 Surprise, Miniverse, Pets Alive, L.O.L. Surprise and Pop Mart are among the ranges attracting local consumers.
“They're buying into collecting itself,” Jacoby said.
The appeal of the unknown
Unlike conventional retail purchases, blind collectibles deliberately conceal what is inside the packaging until it is opened.
Consumers receive one item from a wider collection, with rarer items encouraging buyers to continue hunting for favourites, complete sets or swap duplicates with other collectors.
“The thrill is that you don't know exactly what you're going to get, and that anticipation has become part of the experience,” Jacoby said.
“It is a retail proposition that seems to break one of the basic rules of shopping: know what you're buying.”
“There’s an emotional journey built into a very small product, which turns a purchase into a reveal,” Jacoby said. “You choose it, you wonder what's inside, and then you have that moment of discovery.”
“Unboxing has become a content category in its own right, with TikTok and Instagram filled with collectors revealing rare finds, showing off collections and trading duplicates,” Jacoby said.
“Anticipation, reveal and reaction can all happen within seconds,” she said.
Adults are joining the collecting trend
The growing popularity of blind collectibles also reflects the rise of the so called kidult market, referring to adults who buy toys and collectibles for themselves.
Jacoby said this has increasingly blurred the boundaries between traditional toys, fandom, nostalgia, fashion and pop culture.
“Collectibles lend themselves particularly well to this crossover because they’re small, displayable and often linked to recognisable characters or design worlds,” she said.
The motivations also differ between age groups. Younger consumers may be drawn by play and surprise, while teenagers and adults can be motivated by completing collections, nostalgia, design and fandom.
“Adults don't suddenly stop enjoying discovery or collecting because they've reached a certain age,” Jacoby said. “What has changed is that it's become far more culturally acceptable for adults to participate openly in toy and collectible culture.”
“The breadth of Toys R Us' sales is perhaps the strongest indication that blind collecting is bigger than any single internet craze,” Jacoby added.
“The underlying behaviour of collecting, trading, hunting for rare finds and sharing the reveal has much greater staying power than a viral moment,” she said.
“Trends inevitably come and go, but what we have seen over the past three years suggests collecting itself has longevity,” she said.
ashley.lechman@nationalmg.co.za