JUVENILE PRODUCT SALES SOAR IN 1996

Furniture World Magazine

Juvenile product sales figures, released by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), show an increase of six and one half percent for the industry in 1996. Total retail sales figures for 1996 were $4.23 billion topping the 1995 high of $3.97 billion. The juvenile products industry has shown tremendous growth in the past 15 years, increasing from a 1980 retail sales figure of $850 million to this year's $4.23 billion - an increase of 400%. "Juvenile product consumers have so many more items available to them today compared to 15 years ago and that in itself is a big growth factor, " said William L. MacMillan, JPMA President.