According to Kids and and Tweens in the U.S., a new study from Packaged Facts, kids and their parents have become increasingly interested in protecting the environment. As a result, eco-friendly products are beginning to make headway among children ages 3 to 11. And companies that produce and market products to these kids and their parents are starting to take heed.
Kids ages 3-11 in the U.S. have personal incomes totaling $19 billion, the study found, and is expected to reach $21 billion by 2012. Parental spending on food, clothing, personal care items, entertainment and reading materials reached $123 billion.
Marketers that promote eco-friendly products may find success in tapping that spending. Based on data from Simmons Market Research Bureau, the study found that a significant majority of kids 6-11 express concern for environmental issues. Nearly three-quarters believe people should recycle; 40% say you should buy recycled paper products.
More than half of kids 6-8 encourage their parents to buy green products. Hispanic kids are far more likely than kids in other population segments to push their parents to buy green products. This underlying demographic characteristic may explain why kids living in the Pacific region—which has a relatively large Latino population—have a higher likelihood of trying to get their parents to go green.
Perhaps we should be inviting these kids to our NLCCC briefing in New York. After all, the goal of educating Hispanics about the importance of Global Warming is to help insure that our kids and all future generations can enjoy this planet as we have.