The number of shops(KID Store Fixture) organising their toy departments into separate sections for boys and girls has fallen by 60% in the past year, following pressure on retailers from shoppers and campaigners, it has been claimed..

Campaign group Let Toys be Toys said reports from the high street suggested that a fifth of stores were still organising their toy sections by gender rather than genre, compared to half in the run up to Christmas 2012.(KID Store Fixture)

The group, which started in November 2012, has been calling on retailers to end gender-stereotyping in toy departments which has seen some display play kitchens and colouring sets under 'girls' signs and science sets and doctor's costumers under 'boys' signs.

It asked shoppers to report back what they'd seen in stores, and drew on the responses from retailers to requests that they change their signage. Of 13 major retailers contacted by the campaigners in 2013, seven have removed signs and four say they will do so in the near future.

Others have scrapped gender-specific packaging. Among the big names to announce changes this year is Debenhams, which has scrapped "girls" and "boys" signs completely. Morrisons, which has made some changes(KID store Fixture), was named the worst big retailer by the group, which claimed it was still dividing toys along gender lines.

• This article was amended on 13 December 2013. The earlier version said Toys R Us had already scrapped "girls" and "boys" signs completely.