Swedish toy chain publishes gender-neutral toy catalogue

Sweden's largest toy chain has said that its toys are "gender neutral" after picturing boys holding baby dolls and girls brandishing toy guns in its Christmas catalogue.



"We have produced the catalogues for both BR and Toys R Us in a completely different way this year," Jan Nyberg, director of sales at Top Toy, franchise-holder for US toy chain Toys R Us, said. "With the new gender thinking, there is nothing that is right or wrong. It's not a boy or a girl thing, it's a toy for children."

The country's advertising watchdog (Reklamombudsmannen - RO) reprimanded the company for gender discrimination three years ago following complaints over outdated gender roles in the 2008 Christmas catalogue, which featured boys dressed as superheroes and girls playing princess.



"For several years, we have found that the gender debate has grown so strong in the Swedish market that we ... have had to adjust," Nyberg said. Top Toy, Sweden's largest toy retailer by number of stores, said it had received "training and guidance" from the Swedish advertising watchdog, which is a self-regulatory agency.