Lego shortage? Independent stores not getting their Christmas order

WATCH ABOVE: Jennifer Palma looks at how the shortage may affect some independent stores.

VANCOUVER – Christmas is still three months away, but retailers big and small are already gearing up for the festive season.

Lego is usually top of many lists, especially more so this year due to a blockbuster movie but coming by the building blocks may be tricky if you are shopping at your local independent store.

The world’s largest toy manufacturer is predicting a shortage and supplying the big chains is their priority.

“I’ve never had this happen before,” said Joanna Mileos from The Granville Island Toy Company. “I’ve been in this business for seven years now and it’s the first time I’ve heard ‘we’re not sending you your October order’.”

Lego has told independent toy stores that their Christmas orders won’t be filled and that there may be a Lego shortage.

“What they said was they can’t go back into the factory at this point and continue making more of this year’s product lines,” said Mileos, “because they have already started on making the product line for 2015. So if they were to go back it would put them four or five months behind, so then 2015’s lineup would be delayed for the launch of the year.”

She added that Lego is one of their top selling brands and their bottom line is going to suffer this year.

– With files from Jennifer Palma