The 2026 squishy trend explained: butter, crunchy and dumpling squishies

Why are squishies so popular right now?

Squishies combine three things that work on social media: a satisfying slow squeeze, a strong visual, and a sound or texture that viewers can almost feel through the screen. Short clips of a block being pressed, pulled and released travel fast, and children then walk into a shop asking for the exact design they saw.

Price and size help too. A squishy is an affordable impulse buy, fits in a school bag and makes an easy small gift. Many designs are collectible, so a customer who owns one often comes back for the next shape or colour.

Social commerce has reached continental Europe as well: TikTok Shop launched in Germany, France and Italy on 31 March 2025, after the UK, Spain and Ireland. Trends seen in shoppable videos now reach shoppers in these markets more directly than before.

What does the data show, and what does it not show?

The clearest figures come from the United States. According to Circana data published by The Toy Association on 15 June 2026, squishy toys posted triple-digit growth in both dollar and unit sales from January to April 2026, "driven in part by viral trends and social commerce". The same release reported that consumers aged 18 and older accounted for 35% of total US toy industry growth in that period, and that TikTok Shop had reached 1% of total US retail sales and 3% of e-commerce sales.

These are US numbers. They show the direction of the trend, but they cannot be transferred one to one to Germany, the Netherlands or Poland. We have not found reliable published figures for squishy sales in the EU alone. Treat reports that quote exact European squishy market sizes with caution unless the source and method are clear.

Who buys squishies: children, teens or kidults?

All three, for different reasons. Children under 12 buy with pocket money or ask their parents, often for a design they saw online. Teens collect, swap and film their squishies. Adults buy them as desk toys and stress relievers or as small gifts.

The adult side is growing across the toy market in Europe. In June 2024, Circana reported that toys for teens and adults aged 12 and over were worth EUR 4.5 billion in 2023 in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, or 28.5% of total toy sales; adults were the fastest-growing age group, with sales up 5.5% over two years. Squishies are a small part of that market, but they sit right at the point where kids and kidults shop for the same item.

What are butter, crunchy and dumpling squishies?

Butter squishies imitate a block of butter, often printed like a wrapper, and rise back slowly after squeezing. At MDH they come as a 113 g block (recommended retail price EUR 4.99 for yellow and pink) and as a large 400 g version; the display of the 113 g block is labelled "Not real food / Toy". More on the butter squishy page.

Crunchy or crispy squishies add a crackling sensation to the first squeeze. Popular forms are food shapes such as cheese, corn or chocolate, characters like dinosaurs and unicorns, and blind boxes where the design is only revealed when opened. See our crunchy squishy range.

Dumpling squishies are shaped like steamed dumplings or buns, often glittery, with LED lights or in mini sizes. The Dutch NVWA described them in 2026 as a worldwide social media hype; in the same summer they became the subject of a safety debate in Belgium and the Netherlands.

What does the 2026 dumpling debate mean for shops?

In July 2026 several retailers in Belgium and the Netherlands removed squishy dumplings as a precaution after a newspaper test reported volatile substances. The Dutch NVWA later reported low levels in the products it tested. Our guide on squishy safety and EU toy rules covers the timeline and the checks a retailer should make.

For your counter, two practical points follow. Check the markings and supplier details before you list a new design. And tell customers not to heat squishies: the NVWA warns against the social media trend of warming them in the microwave, because hot fillings can burst out and cause burns.

How long will the trend last, and how should you plan stock?

Nobody can say exactly. Squishies were already a craze around 2018, when the first chemical studies on them appeared, and each wave since has brought a new star style. What changes quickly is the design, not the category. That is why rotating designs matters more than buying deep.

A sensible plan is small orders, a fixed weekly check and quick reorders of what sells. Without a minimum order value you can test a new display alongside proven items. Seasonal peaks are Christmas, Easter and the start and end of the school year; this year, for example, the Dumpling Advent Calendar is available with German or English packaging. Our guide on buying trend products explains how to limit the risk.

Which sales arguments work at the counter?

Let customers touch: one unpacked tester per style turns a glance into a sale. Show the range in a row from soft (butter) to crackling (crunchy) to glittery (dumpling), so customers can compare. Mark new arrivals clearly; children talk about where to find which design, and MDH added more than 20 new squishy items in late October 2026.

For parents, the age warning and a clear supplier address on the packaging are good reasons to buy in your shop rather than from an anonymous online seller. For adults, place one or two designs next to the till as a desk toy or small gift. Ready to stock up? Open a trade account at /b2b/register; approval usually takes one to two working days.

Sources

• Circana: US toy industry posts double-digit growth through April (The Toy Association, 15 June 2026)
• Playful profits: fandom and nostalgia fuel growth of teens and adults EUR 4.5bn toy market in Europe (Circana, 18 June 2024)
• TikTok Shop expands to Germany, France and Italy (Spielwarenmesse, March 2025)
• NVWA onderzoekt squishy speelgoed (NVWA, 2026)
• Potentially toxic squishy dumplings taken off store shelves (DutchNews, 13 July 2026)