Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
18%
4 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
67/100
The Guardian's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
A cartoonish banana so addictively squidgy that it is “really difficult to put down” is tipped to be among the must-have toys this Christmas, according to expert buyers at Hamleys.
uncertain
it → put → Hamleys
The £10 “slow-rise, squeezable, sensory” fruit taps into the “squishies” craze that is fuelling a high street boom in toy sales.
asserted
that → tap → sales
Hamleys expects to sell thousands of the Big Squij toys, which come in a variety of food and animal shapes filled with a flour-based compound, in the coming weeks.
asserted
which → expect → weeks
Their popularity has been supercharged by social media and a growing army of child and adult collectors.
asserted
popularity → supercharge → collectors
The most popular official brand, NeeDoh, has 1.1m TikTok followers.
asserted
brand → have → followers
Victoria Kay, the head of buying and merchandising at Hamleys, said the “squishy craze is only really just getting going”.
asserted
craze → buy → Hamleys
There is a wonderful simplicity to their power whether you are a young child or an adult.
asserted
you → be → power
Literally once you squeeze one, it’s really difficult to put it down.”
asserted
it → squeeze → it
Squishies are the biggest toy trend of the year, according to Andrew Murphy, who runs The Entertainer, the UK’s largest chain of toy shops.
uncertain
who → accord → shops
Some theories suggest their viral success is because of their stress-relieving powers or simplicity, but he suggests the “degree of fanaticism from kids under 10 for these products is not explainable in any rational way.
uncertain
degree → suggest → way
It’s just a real, deep desire”.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The squishies craze is good news for independent toy shops, he said: “It will be increasing sales in total by minimum of 30%.
asserted
It → say → %
Most of their costs are fixed so they’ll probably be doubling the profit for the year.”
asserted
they → fix → year
The craze has been a shot in the arm for UK toy sales this year, which by the end of August were up 13% by value and 19% by volume, according the market research company Circana.
asserted
which → accord → company
Sales of toys that cost under £10 are growing fastest, with an extra £100m worth of these so-called “pocket money” items sold during the period thanks to the clamour for World Cup stickers and squishies.
asserted
worth → cost → stickers
As for Christmas – still 72 days away – Hamleys says this week is when shopping for the festive season “officially” starts, according to a poll of consumers.
uncertain
shopping → say → consumers
With that in mind it has produced its annual shortlist of toys to please toddlers through to teenagers and older.
asserted
it → produce → teenagers
while the remote-controlled flying Thunder Unicorn” is the most expensive at £75.
asserted
Unicorn → control → 75
The list of 15 items includes evergreen favourites such as Lego, Barbie, Peppa Pig and PlayDoh.
asserted
list → include → Lego
With the upcoming Marvel superhero extravaganza Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon it features two Doctor Doom toys – a £45 Lego bust and a £30 action figure.
asserted
it → feature → toys
The 16-year-old vocaloid – her “voice” comes from music software – is playing London’s O2 arena next month.
asserted
voice → come → arena
Hamleys festive 15
Hamleys Movers & Shakers interactive pet £35
Hamleys Thunder Unicorn £75
Barbie Nutcracker doll £30
PlayDoh Stamp & Spin Pizza playset £20
Articulate Under Pressure £25
Primal Hatch Megalodon £55
Doctor Doom action figure £30
Hamleys ScorpiX RC transforming car £50
Hatsune Miku figure £28
Big Squij £10
Numberblocks sing and record music player £27
Lego Doctor Doom bust £45
Ready, Pedal, Go interactive Peppa Pig £30
Hamleys Wooden London taxi £25
Hamleys Magic 3D Track set £60
asserted
bust → transform → taxi
The Aporia
