Playmobil's grandma with cats figure sparks a culture war over new molds

Playmobil launches a grandma with cats and triggers a culture war

Just over a year ago, Playmobil added to its Special Plus range, sold at El Corte Inglés, a figure of an elderly lady with cats, tortoiseshell glasses and a purple sweater. What seemed like a harmless nod to generational diversity has ended up reopening a deeper wound at the company: the accusation that it is more focused on the social agenda than on its own accounts.

The set, named "Grandma With Cats", has stirred controversy on two fronts. Those who see it as simply a charming product laugh at the details; others read it as a forced gesture of political correctness. The controversy, however, has focused on a single point: Playmobil admits that falling sales prevent it from investing in new molds, and at the same time it has released one for a figure wearing a headscarf. That apparent contradiction has put the spotlight on the brand's strategy.

The mold crisis as a barometer

The underlying argument is economic. The German toy maker is going through a commercial slowdown: the numbers don't add up and management says it cannot invest in new tooling. Even so, the appearance of a female figure wearing a hijab — and, according to some sources, a mold made exclusively for that piece — clashes head-on with the austerity narrative.

Some argue the decision responds to pressure for representation in the toy industry. Others see a publicity move taking advantage of the moment. In between lies an uncomfortable question: if resources are so limited, why are they being spent on a piece that doesn't match the classic buyer profile?

The controversy has once again raised the question of the identity drift of the big toy brands. The company's risk is clear: pleasing a new audience without angering the traditional one. For now, the images of the grandma with cats and the figure in a veil sit side by side on the shelf. Time will tell whether the strategy pays off or whether the attempt to please everyone ends up backfiring.