Commentary: How Singapore can make blind boxes less addictive

## Summary
SINGAPORE: Singapore retailers are cashing in on the blind box craze. No longer exclusive to collector toy brands such as Pop Mart, blind boxes – whose contents are unknown before purchasing and opening – have crossed into the mainstream. According to a forecast by Cognitive Market Research, the global market for blind box toys will grow at an annual rate of 6.5 per cent from 2025 to 2033, with the Asia Pacific region seeing the fastest expansion. But as brands from Yeo’s to KFC jump on the blind box bandwagon, community groups have voiced concerns about the product’s addictive nature.

## Article Content
SINGAPORE: Singapore retailers are cashing in on the blind box craze. No longer exclusive to collector toy brands such as Pop Mart, blind boxes – whose contents are unknown before purchasing and opening – have crossed into the mainstream.

According to a forecast by Cognitive Market Research, the global market for blind box toys will grow at an annual rate of 6.5 per cent from 2025 to 2033, with the Asia Pacific region seeing the fastest expansion.

But as brands from Yeo’s to KFC jump on the blind box bandwagon, community groups have voiced concerns about the product’s addictive nature. As of February, the government is considering regulations to manage the gambling-related risks of blind boxes and trading cards.

Can demarketing efforts curb the negative effects of the blind box phenomenon?

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- According to a forecast by Cognitive Market Research, the global market for blind box toys will grow at an annual rate of 6.5 per cent from 2025 to 2033, with the Asia Pacific region seeing the fastest expansion.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers blind, box, singapore topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 131.