Batteries pack into holiday lists

’Tis the season for battery multipacks. Battery-powered toys and electronic devices are on many holiday lists this season, and that means strong battery sales—in fact, about 35% to 40% of all household battery sales are generated in the fourth quarter.

Battery-powered toys are a significant part of the category—9-of-the-top-15 toys that make the Toys “R” Us Holiday Hot Toy List require batteries. “Toys keep getting more sophisticated. Much like our smart phones, they now perform more complex functions than ever, which makes them popular and also raises the level of importance for their battery power,” said Kurt Iverson, a spokesman for Procter & Gamble’s Duracell brand.

Alkaline batteries, Iverson said, always are on the list for most holiday gift buyers who have kids and toys on their agenda. “Toys make up the largest device category for batteries, and no time of year brings that out more than the holiday season,” he said.

Multipacks will get plenty of promotion in November and December. Duracell’s bonus pack, which includes a toy-size screwdriver for opening difficult toy battery doors, will be back on the market this year. The mini screwdriver bonus, which includes both a straight edge and Phillips head design, has been very popular with consumers.

This year, Duracell is adding another tool—a gift opener that allows consumers to safely cut through those sturdy clamshell plastic packages. “These are two tools that allow parents to be the hero without any obstacles to get in the way of the fun,” Iverson said. Duracell also will offer point-of-purchase displays designed around the “Power the Joy of Giving” theme.

Energizer will be promoting multipacks as well. Strong contenders this year include the brand’s Ultimate Lithium batteries, which retail for $9.99 for a four pack and are billed as providing up to 30 more minutes of power in toys, and Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries, which retail for $7.99 for a four pack and are positioned as an ideal power source for handheld games.