LEGO opens first own flagship shop in China

Lego CEO and President, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, displays a toy at the company’s first flagship store in China at China World Shopping Mall in Beijing on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007. Photo: CRIENGLISH.com

Danish toy giant LEGO opened its first own flagship store in China on Wednesday after a 15-year presence in the country.

LEGO CEO and President, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, who is on his first visit to China, attended the launching ceremony at the store in China World Shopping Mall in Beijing.

In an interview, he explained why it took so long to open a brand store in China.

“We’ve been in China for a long time, but now we are finding a way to really crack the code and grow the market. The brand toy market in China is still in its infancy. I think we’ve seen other markets grow faster, like cars, mobile phones. But I think now is the time for brand toys to really grow.”

Knudstorp says LEGO’s China sales account for less than one percent of its total sales around the world and he believes there is much potential for growth. He expects Lego to become the market leader in China by 2020.

LEGO’s Danish sales director Jens-Peter Poulsen says to Danish daily Jyske Vestkysten that there are still many products that pretend to be Lego.

“I went for a walk and looked in other stores, and there are lots of copycat products on the shelves. But I sense that the authorities will do something about it, even if it is difficult to find the people behind it,” says Jens-Peter Poulsen.

“Today, China is a very large market for non-branded goods, but sales of branded goods are increasing. China’s one-child policy means that parents place a lot of emphasis on giving their children the best – also in the creative field – and this is where Lego comes into the picture,” he says.

But the sales director recognizes that the more popular Lego becomes in the middle class and above, the greater the risk that copycats will make more fake Lego products.

“The bigger we are, the greater the risk will be. But then we have to take it from there,” he says to Jyske Vestkysten.

About Gregers Møller

Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand

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