Malaysia needs to examine the blind box economy

Big attraction: A Thai tourist at the blind box section in a Guangzhou shopping mall in China. Blind boxes are no longer limited to online marketplaces as their popularity soars, bringing with it increasing concerns about youth spending habits. — Filepic/The Star

A TEENAGER buys a RM49 blind box hoping to obtain a rare collectible. Minutes later, another purchase follows, then another. What begins as entertainment can quickly become spending behaviour driven not by necessity or value, but by uncertainty.

Blind boxes have rapidly moved from niche collectibles into mainstream retail culture. Industry estimates cited in media reporting suggest that the global blind box market was valued at approximately US$11.38bil (RM46.2bil) in 2021 and is projected to exceed US$24bil (RM97.44bil) by 2033, highlighting how rapidly blind boxes have evolved from niche collectibles into a significant consumer market.