Lego in the U.K. Is getting more expensive in 2017!

OrmskirkBricks · December 2016

Lego pushes up its UK prices because of weak pound after Brexit

http://news.sky.com/story/lego-to-raise-retail-prices-by-average-5-from-1-january-10695730

akunthita · December 2016

Well, this was inevitable... the pound is in terrible shape, and it keeps getting worse with no recovery in sight. Expect everything else to go up in price as well; food, gas, utilities, transportation... LEGO raising prices is really nothing in the bigger picture. Feel sorry for our British friends...

CCC · December 2016

It is less than the 20% apple increase. :-)

They'll probably find they'll sell less at RRP, and have to discount more. Unless they are planning to start shifting product away from the UK to other parts of Europe.

Briking · December 2016

^ Huh? Getting worse? The pound is now down ca. 8.5% against the Euro from June 22nd. Which is a lot better than it was back in the summer.

Fauch · December 2016

well, any change, good or bad is a potential excuse to raise prices.
people just expect prices to rise.

spicypig · December 2016

But the email screenshot is a fake one.

spicypig · December 2016

My local manager just told me they didnt receive any information about price increase.

monkeyhanger · December 2016

I'm sure the RRP of Lego will go down again if/when the pound recovers to pre-Brexit levels :D

RRP isn't really much of a concern when not buying Lego from [email protected] or a Lego store - there have been amazing bargains through Argos/Tesco this year in the UK.

Vote with your wallets people - i'm no Apple fan, but there's even less chance of them getting my money now. Unless there's an amazing freebie to go with, i'll be limiting my RRP Lego spends also.

CCC · December 2016

I'd like to say the same, but it must be at least three years since I purchased direct from Lego without a promo. So no change in behaviour for me necessary!

nexander · December 2016

Cot prices may go up but there is enough competition to ensure retail prices don't. Its the smaller shops that might get the squeeze.

curious · December 2016

Some of you don't seem to have grasped that this is not the shop at home prices only. They are raising the amount they charge retailers. And no the retailers aren't going to swallow that cost for you, they are going to raise their own prices, it doesn't matter where you buy. Lego confirmed the email was real. Will you still be in denial the same time next year?

monkeyhanger · December 2016

We grasped it, and I am of the opinion that as long as good deals (high % discount on RRP, whatever that RRP may be), an RRP increase may not have a huge impact on what I pay for my Lego. With this years deals i've never had Lego so cheap on so many desirable sets.

If I think that Lego pricss are getting a bit silly then i'll stop buying.

Redbullgivesuwind · December 2016

curious said:

Will you still be in denial

If the Nile has risen to a level where it floods the UK I think climate change will be the bigger worry.

Redbullgivesuwind · December 2016

Most people ( I have started doing this now) wait until sets are on heavy discount to pull the trigger. Unless the stores stop doing deep discounts then I doubt it will effect to many people. Maybe parents will be less inclined to either impulse buy or get as many sets for birthdays etc but that will be it.

CCC · December 2016

curious said:

Some of you don't seem to have grasped that this is not the shop at home prices only. They are raising the amount they charge retailers. And no the retailers aren't going to swallow that cost for you, they are going to raise their own prices, it doesn't matter where you buy. Lego confirmed the email was real. Will you still be in denial the same time next year?

I have also grasped it. I used to buy LEGO at 20% off. These days I rarely bother at 20% off as in my experience you will be able to do better than that. 33% off is normally the trigger to evaluate whether it is worth buying (but not always a definite buy), although I'll settle for 27% if it is amazon price matching a 3 for 2 and I only want one.

OrmskirkBricks · December 2016

Over the last few years, I have been a 'quick to purchase' collector, I like having the new sets, and don't mind paying the premium to have them. I have also been happy to pay a little more to put the money direct into the Lego business rather than to large retail corporates. But I guess, this will change...I also may start looking for the discounted sets in large retailers.

AllBrick · December 2016

5% on a £20 set is £1 so its not a massive hike, 10%+ would be taking liberties though.

As mentioned before, things will still be discounted and the likes of Tesco and Argos will be banging sets out with great reductions and the old 3 for 2 so we can still get our fixes at a reasonable cost.

Maybe a 3 for 2 buddy scheme thread should be created then we can all team up and get the sets we all want when these offers start... Its all out bargain hunting warfare on a strategical level

DougTemplar · December 2016

I'm slowly getting to the point that eventually I'll have most of the bricks I need to build anything I want. At which point I'll just get instructions and go on from there - no need to buy anything at that stage surely?

Well apart from Minifigs.

Well Minifigs and special pieces / new moulds.

Actually Minifigs, special pieces / new moulds and Minidolls

I'll come in again.

Eventually I will get to the point that I have enough bricks that I won't need to buy new sets to build anything I want, apart from Minifigs, Minidolls, Special Pieces/new Moulds and new brick colours.....

Anyway I'm aware that going forward life in the UK is going to get expensive in general. But then I'm hoping that I won't be in the UK for ever but still in the EU - without moving house :) But I'll leave that there.

Scatterbug · December 2016

DougTemplar said:

Anyway I'm aware that going forward life in the UK is going to get expensive in general. But then I'm hoping that I won't be in the UK for ever but still in the EU - without moving house :) But I'll leave that there.

You had one chance and blew it. You'll have to suffer the consequences like the rest of us!

CCC · December 2016

DougTemplar said:

Eventually I will get to the point that I have enough bricks that I won't need to buy new sets to build anything I want, apart from Minifigs, Minidolls, Special Pieces/new Moulds and new brick colours.....

That was my plan about five years ago. The problem is wanting to keep some stuff built and having enough bricks to build anything (and everything) else. I'm mainly a MOC builder and always seem to need to constantly add rather than tear down and replace.

TyoSolo · December 2016

It's about time RRP caught up with WHSmiths pricing :P

mountebank · December 2016

curious said:

Some of you don't seem to have grasped that this is not the shop at home prices only. They are raising the amount they charge retailers. And no the retailers aren't going to swallow that cost for you, they are going to raise their own prices, it doesn't matter where you buy. Lego confirmed the email was real. Will you still be in denial the same time next year?

<Looks sadly at the 40% off RRP Porsche #42056 that arrived this morning from Tesco>

curious · December 2016

mountebank said:

curious said:

Some of you don't seem to have grasped that this is not the shop at home prices only. They are raising the amount they charge retailers. And no the retailers aren't going to swallow that cost for you, they are going to raise their own prices, it doesn't matter where you buy. Lego confirmed the email was real. Will you still be in denial the same time next year?

<Looks sadly at the 40% off RRP Porsche #42056 that arrived this morning from Tesco>

40% off the new RRP is more than 40% off the current RRP. The discounts will still be there but the discounted price will still be higher. Whatever you pay for your LEGO its going up.

mountebank · December 2016

Yes, what you have written is obvious. That's why when you started on your specialist subject of The Bleeding Obvious you didn't get the thread falling down in shock saying "OMG, what insight! I can't believe I have never realised this!"

What people have said is the equally unremarkable "so long as the price is attractive enough I will continue to buy".

MrKettle · December 2016

My local toy shop only sells Lego at RRP and rarely does any kind of discount event (maybe 1 per year) but I like shopping with them because I like to support local businessesseses (I'm never sure when to stop with that word). And they always have the "hard to find stuff in stock. So for the sake of not waiting a few days I buy it from them.

I susoect the poind dalling will impact the price of new Lego sets but not the current ones. I'm sure I did months I will still be able to pick up a Ferris wheel for the same price I can now.

However it it does make me worry that this is the 40th anniversary of Star Wars and so I am expecting a lot of big sets to be released this year which may end up costing me a fortune.

drdavewatford · December 2016

MrKettle said:

However it it does make me worry that this is the 40th anniversary of Star Wars and so I am expecting a lot of big sets to be released this year which may end up costing me a fortune.

If you think 2017 has the potential to be bad on the LEGO Star Wars front then God only knows what it'll be like in 2027 - that's a PROPER anniversary....

Redbullgivesuwind · December 2016

@mountebank don't worry I'll go for the reaction that @curious is looking for.

Ahem.

Oh my god the Lego prices are going up by 5% we are going to have to pay more. More I tell you for the Lego. Where will it end? Won't someone think of the children?

Damn you Farage for leading us out. When will the crimes end? We need this man up on war crimes. I was fine with the casual racism, fine with the homophobia but 5% is too much Nigel.

Quick guys we need to rally I've got the placards. Whose got the paint? No @CCC you can't write that it's offensive to Megabloks fans!

All together "What do we want? A return to the EU so that we don't have to pay 5% on our Lego sets. When do we want it? Now!"

cheshirecat · December 2016

Its funny, I wonder if LEGO sent a letter warning of a similar price rise when the GBP/EUR exchange rate fell by 18% between October 2008 and January 2009 (of course that should have been a 10% increase, given that the pound has lost about 9% since the referendum) the final stage in a plummet from 1.51 to 1.04? And yes, that's significantly lower than the cataclysmic end-of-the-world exchange rate (1.11) we briefly reached post referendum.

I also don't remember reading about any letters stating that there would be a 7% reduction in RRPs when the exchange rate rose by 14% between November 2014 and July 2015.

Of course, over the years we all know there have been fluctuations in the relative RRP of products, this summer seeing some of the best value we've seen in many years. We cope.

Phonebooth · December 2016

Simple marketplace dynamics: Have a product that most buy at RRP and a healthy market of resellers gobbling up stock? You definitely don't drop prices...

License to print money.

CCC · December 2016

Redbullgivesuwind said:

Quick guys we need to rally I've got the placards. Whose got the paint? No @CCC you can't write that it's offensive to Megabloks fans!

I've got a few MegaBloks bits and pieces (along with Lepin, Decool and a number of other clones) where Lego doesn't make what I want. So it won't be me writing things offensive to MegaBloks fans.

Redbullgivesuwind · December 2016

@CCC you've changed man. You used to be about the Lego. Now it's just where you'll get your next building hit.

CCC · December 2016

In fact, I've always modified lego to suit what I wanted, ever since being a kid. And have long used non-lego parts to supplement it, such as using Kenner SW figures in my spaceships as a kid or even with lego as the minor partner, for building bases for my Mattel Battlestar Galactica toys and so on.

Ayliffe · December 2016

Is this good enough justification to punch Nigel Farage in the face? Asking for a friend.

cheshirecat · December 2016

Nigel Farage is justification enough.

bookmum · December 2016

It is a bit of a bummer but generally I have found that people buy stuff and don't even think about the price. Like people who buy their toiletries from Poundland ("it's sooooo cheap") when it's actually way cheaper in Wilkos. A lot of people actually have no clue what things 'should' cost and if they want it they buy it.

Redbullgivesuwind · December 2016

@CCC can't a guy tell a joke around here without facts getting in the way!

Shib · December 2016

@Redbullgivesuwind - you can try, but because of the referendum a joke tax has been introduced, every joke has to be followed by a pointless fact.

nexander · December 2016

Don't forget the joke tax credits if your 'fact' is (a) totaly false and clearly been pulled put your arse (b) blames foreigners/minority (c) uses the phrase 'will of the people'. All three and you get a bonus copy of the Daily Mail!

SprinkleOtter · December 2016

nexander said:

Don't forget the joke tax credits if your 'fact' is (a) totaly false and clearly been pulled put your arse (b) blames foreigners/minority (c) uses the phrase 'will of the people'. All three and you get a bonus copy of the Daily Mail!

Hey! Don't you dis the referendum! It was rightly made by the will of the foreign minorities! ;)

DeMontes · December 2016

Sad news...

ryjay · December 2016

Wow...that build ^ is loaded with emotion. I'm not sure I've ever seen something built, that is simple, to the point and loaded with emotion like that. It tells a story in one pic what everyone on this thread is trying to say....