Baby and Toddler Products - Germany

Germany is the largest market for baby and toddler products in Europe. According to Grand View Research, Germany accounted for roughly 22 % of European baby products revenue in 2025. The broadly defined market for baby and children’s outfitting (clothing, shoes, accessories, mobility, furniture and other first equipment) reached €7.12 billion in 2024 according to IFH Köln and BBE Handelsberatung, 3.8 % below the previous year; for 2025 a further decline of 1.9 % to just under €7 billion was forecast, followed by moderate growth of below 1 % p.a.

The market is shaped by two opposing forces: falling birth numbers (654,267 births in 2025, –3.4 %) and rising spending per child. IFH Köln puts spending on baby and children’s equipment in 2025 at around €2.36 billion (–2.2 %) but around €1,166 per child, almost 2 % more than in the previous year. Parents buy fewer items, but more consciously, and expect quality, safety and real benefit.

For foreign suppliers the most important entry routes are (1) specialised importers/distributors that build brands in the German-speaking (DACH) market, (2) buying groups for independent baby and toy retail (EK/happybaby, VEDES), (3) large specialist retailers that import directly (BabyOne, baby-walz/babymarkt, Smyths, online pure players) and (4) generalists – drugstores, discounters and textile discounters – that source private label and promotional goods. The regulatory framework is demanding (General Product Safety Regulation, product-specific EN standards, the new EU Toy Safety Regulation 2025/2509, chemicals and extended producer responsibility), but it is a strong barrier against low-quality competition and rewards well-prepared suppliers.