While mom and dad may officially rule the roost in the family, kids do have a voice, especially when it comes to what makes its way into the grocery cart and onto their plates. With kids’ developing tastes, along with nutritional needs, and possible food allergies, many parents tailor special menus or purchase certain foods for their little ones on a regular basis. But just how much say do kids have over what their parents actually purchase at the grocery store? We’ve surveyed our moms to find out.
According to Moms Meet members, 80% of their kids ask them to buy a particular product at least one to two times a week. If you ever had any doubt about whether or not parents actually let these requests factor into their purchases, every parent surveyed said that they do, although frequency varied. But for almost two thirds of all moms surveyed, they make these kid-influenced purchases often—proof that kids have some mighty purchasing power.One mom explained, “Kids have a huge influence on most of the foods I purchase because, as a parent, I am always trying to find foods high in nutrition in order to keep my children healthy and to provide all the vitamins their bodies need to develop properly, while also allowing them to enjoy their snacks or meals.” Many other moms surveyed shared the same sentiment.
The impact doesn’t stop there, these savvy little shoppers not only influence their parents to buy certain products but nine in ten actually request a specific brand by name. Unsurprisingly, 80% of these requests fall into the snack category. Over three-fourths of kids make their requests while shopping with their parents, alluding to the idea that memorable packaging may play a part in sparking their recollection. While smartphones and tablets seem to reign supreme these days in other areas of life, almost half of the moms surveyed reported that their kids asked for a certain product because they saw it on TV, thus showing that traditional advertising is still a major player.Interestingly, almost two in ten kids asked for products that they learned about through Moms Meet, proving how effective it is to reach these pint-sized purchase influencers through our Sampling Programs. We heard from one of our moms who said, “I think my kids have learned a lot from me being a Moms Meet Mom Ambassador. They have found some wonderful new products they really love and enjoy and get to spend time showing those products to other kids. They have learned about healthy foods and like teaching others about them. I see them picking out the products we have tried from being with Moms Meet at the stores now.”
Overall, what kids want should matter to brands. Not only do their parents spend an average of $113 monthly buying their requested products, but if it becomes a product they like, parents will continue to buy it regularly. Mom and dad not only want their kids to eat what they buy, but they want what they buy to fit their dietary needs and be something they enjoy. If their appeals hit these checkmarks for parents, they have every inclination to purchase exactly what their little eaters want.