Lego outperforms toy market with strong sales in Europe and North America

Lego Icons, which includes models of the Eiffel Tower and Titanic, was among the best-performing themes along with City, Technic and Star Wars

The company plans to open around 100 stores this year, slightly fewer than in previous years, bringing the total number of stores above 1,100.

Lego's sales of its colourful plastic bricks outpaced the overall toy market in the first half of the year, driven by strong demand in Europe and North America, the Denmark-based toymaker said.

The surge in Lego's sales contrasts with a stagnating global toy market and tepid sales for rivals such as Barbie-maker Mattel and Hasbro, the firm behind My Little Pony.