CVS wants to sell more Pokémon, collectibles

• CVS
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Dive Brief:

• CVS Pharmacy is expanding its assortment of toys, beauty, snacks and seasonal products with an emphasis on collectibles, nostalgia and limited-edition products, according to a Friday announcement. 

• Products include Pokémon trading cards, blind-box collectibles and limited-time drops. Items are rolling out this fall at participating stores and on the company’s website, according to a company press release. 

• The retail arm of CVS Health is introducing new brands and expanding offerings in these categories as adults show increased interest in collectibles and toys.

Dive Insight:

Adults are fueling toy and collectible industry growth, and CVS is getting in on the craze. 

“There’s something exciting about finding a product you weren’t expecting during an everyday shopping trip,” Zach Dennett, interim chief merchandising officer at CVS Health, said in a statement. “By regularly introducing new and unexpected finds at their local CVS, we’re creating more moments of discovery and giving customers reasons to explore what’s new every time they shop with us.”

Expanded offerings include Joyward <a href="https://comicvibe.com/kingsport-hosting-halloween-fortnite-tournament-for-kids-teens/” title=”Kingsport hosting Halloween Fortnite Tournament for kids, teens”>Halloween Squishes, Nook Nook Series 1 blind boxes, Beauty Creations x Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas lip oils and serums, and Dunkin’ pumpkin spice ground coffee, among other items.

Overall, toy consumption is being driven by adults, with consumers aged 18 and over accounting for 35% of the total industry growth.

Squishy toys delivered triple-digit growth in both dollars and units sold in the first four months of the year, according to a June report by Circana. CVS Pharmacy is debuting exclusive squishies, a product that has helped push revenue growth at Five Below. 

Pokémon as a brand has seen exceptional overall revenue growth. In 2025, sales surged 87% year over year in the U.S. to $2.5 billion. Pokémon is the first brand in the last 20 years to exceed the $2 billion mark in annual sales, according to a report by Circana at the start of the year.

Prices in the toy category are increasing right before the holiday season. Prices jumped 4.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis from August to September, according to the Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.