STAR Wars fans are leading an eighties revival, with sales of popular gadgets from the decade soaring in the run-up to Christmas.
Old favourites such as the ZX Spectrum and Meccano have seen a huge jump in sales as Brits start to ramp up their Christmas shopping. Electronics retailer Maplin has reported a 400% increase in sales of the classic stylophone over the past two months, while the interactive robot companion Meccanoid has seen a 100% increase over the same period.
Ben Winter, Buying Director for Maplin Electronics, said: “We’re seeing some of the ‘retrotainment’ gadgets flying off the shelves in the run-up to Christmas.
“The retro trend in tech is in many ways down to the ‘Star Wars effect’, putting the 80s back in the cultural zeitgeist, leading parents to connect with our past in ways that are both nostalgic and interactive.
Maplin is predicting the ZX Spectrum to be the one of the top retro purchases this year, followed by Meccano’s Meccanoid G15 and G15 KS.
Maplin’s top ten predicted retro best sellers:
1. ZX Spectrum
2. Meccanoid G15 KS from Meccano
3. Meccanoid G15 from Meccano
4. Stylophone
5. ION Classic LP Player
6. GPO Empire Retro Turntable
7. Pac-Man ghost lamp
8. ION Max LP Turntable with speakers
9. Tetris Light
10. Real FX Racing Car