According to NPD group figures, Pokémon maintained its position as the top property in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, while also recording its highest-ever annual positions in the UK, Germany, and Italy, ranking 4th in each of these three countries. The Pokémon Company International's press release specifically highlighted its performance in France, where its sales were more than twice that of their nearest competitor.Mathieu Galante - licensing director EMEA for The Pokémon Company International said:“We built on the success of our 25th anniversary celebrations with another packed programme of exciting activity and innovative product launches, creating huge demand and buoyant sales. We are delighted with the superb performance at retail, which demonstrates the brand’s continued iconic cultural relevance, and we continue to work hard to bring more innovation to fans over the coming months.”
Simon Benton - vice president of Pokémon TCG sales for Europe for The Pokémon Company International said:“2022 saw another sensational year for the Pokémon TCG. We would like to thank our retail partners and distributors for their amazing support, which has continued to raise the profile of our products — and TCG in particular — to consumers. In another record-breaking year, Pokémon is the No. 1 NPD property in three countries and achieved its highest-ever position in other key territories, and we look forward to building on this success further in 2023.”