Lego 'shortage' overstated

By Tina Benitez -- Gifts and Dec, November 2, 2006

NEWYORK—Contrary to a flurry of media reports this week that there will not be enough Lego products to go around—in retail—this holiday in the U.S., the toymaker tells Playthings that the reports do not reflect the number of available products globally, in particular, the states.

According the Michael McNally, senior brand relations manager at Lego, news reports of a shortage of Lego products in the U.S. and Canada were based on an interview given in Denmark in regards to short Lego supplies in Scandinavia . It is not a global issue, he says.

“It is true that consumer demand for Lego products this year is higher than we anticipated, and any gaps we started to see early on as a result have been resolved through production adjustments,” McNally tells Playthings. “We are not experiencing a shortage of Lego sets in the U.S. or Canada this holiday season. All of our key retailers are well stocked with what we believe will be the most popular Lego sets this holiday season and have indicated they too are satisfied with their stock. Of course, we encourage consumers to get out early to be sure they get what they’re hoping to find.”

Lego's 2006 line includes Harry Potter sets like the Hogwart's Castle; Mindstorms, Exo-Force and Bionicles sets, and assorted Lego Star Wars models.