Tina, Milo and other merchandise fly off shelves, despite cost

MILAN, Feb 11 - Five days into Olympic competition, soft toys Tina and Milo, the cheery stoats chosen as mascots for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, have sold out.

Other Olympic merchandise is also in short supply, with fans having to try different stores to find their size.

With even a souvenir T-shirt costing 40 euros ($47.50), some shoppers are questioning the high prices but queues are long at the main store in central Milan and merchandise is flying off the shelves.

"The main thing that we were looking for was going to be a knitted sweatshirt, but it looks like it's already out and it's only available in little kid sizes," said Rafael Arredondo and William Garcia, who are from Los Angeles and were heading to an ice hockey game.

"It's a little expensive but it seems fair like it's kind of like the same prices that you would find at a concert or something like that," they added.

SALES SURGE AS GAMES GAIN PACE

Since the Winter Games kicked off in earnest at the weekend, sales have surged.

The average receipts at the flagship store in Piazza Duomo near Milan's towering cathedral have more than doubled, said Stefano Gili, head of retail and e-commerce at the Milan Cortina 2026 Foundation.

While most purchases were previously made by Italians, the share of foreign buyers has now grown sharply, he added.

"I cannot share specific details about sales, but for sure they are exceeding our expectations, thanks to the enthusiasm that we are seeing all around the Games," he said.

"Average transaction moved from 70 euros before the Games and now we are exceeding 100 euros," he added.

The first stores opened last autumn and currently there are around 60 in all the Games areas across northern Italy. Store openings were rolled out progressively between September and December 2025, with the final ones added this month.

DESPERATELY SEEKING TINA

Gili said that other best sellers were the "Christmas jumpers", knitwear with the Milano Cortina signature and the mountains, as well as beanie hats, and metal pin badges.

The fact that inside the Olympics store you can pay only by cash or by Visa card - Visa is one of the Olympics partners -  did not deter potential customers.

Merchandise prices can also vary between online shopping and the physical shops, since the Fondazione Milano Cortina agreed licensing agreements with two different companies to deal with each channel.

The issue of the missing mascots, Tina and Milo - whose names are inspired by the host cities of Cortina and Milano - made it into the main media briefing on Wednesday. Tina is officially the Olympic mascot while Milo is designated for the same role at the Paralympics next month.

"We are talking to all our suppliers so there will be additional stock," said Luca Casassa, a spokesperson for the local organisers.

"But it's the clearest indication that the organising committee can give of the great enthusiasm that we are seeing, the fact that the official stores have been swamped by buyers," he added.

In the absence of the mascots, the favourite cuddly toys are the Flos, the fairy-like creatures with a snowdrop hat who act as their helpers.

"I wanted this soft toy because I thought it was so cute, and what's more, it's for the Winter Olympics in Italy, and it will bring back fond memories of the Olympics in Italy," said nine-year-old Louis Mounet, who had come to the mountain venue of Livigno from France with his parents.($1 = 0.8433 euros) REUTERS