We surveyed 1,800 parents and crunched over 8 million data points to understand where the nation’s playground pounds are going. Here are our key findings.
Read the full report
What are the spending habits of Under 18s?
McDonalds tops the table
The top three retailers in our spending habits table are all places where our kids can get a bite to eat after a long day at school. McDonald’s, Tesco and the Co-op have been the top three places for under-18s spending money since 2023. However, this year McDonald’s nudged ahead of the Co-op, with youngsters reaching for that gratifying fast food hit instead of a Tesco meal deal.
Hello, Vinted
Vinted is a newcomer in HyperJar’s top 20 retailer table, jumping into our list at number 13, ahead of many more established brands. This suggests children in the UK are smart with spending and like to bag a bargain. If they can get fashion and beauty items at lower prices, they’re not worried about it being pre-loved. The cycle of selling clothes and wearing second-hand is more sustainable than fast fashion, which is something that’s a priority for this generation.
Shein rises the ranks
In 2023, Primark was more popular than Shein. Now the tables have turned with Shein taking the number six spot and Primark falling two places to number seven.
In the past year, Shein has expanded its range to offer beauty and home products as well as the latest trends. Prices at Primark increased in 2023, with the retailer admitting it had to increase the cost of garments in line with inflation. Shein, however, has kept prices low in the previous 12 months with most items available for under £10. This suggests the nation’s under 18s like to get value for money and would rather have more items to rotate than spend more money on one or two pieces.
Tweens and teens are spending more on beauty products
Boots and Superdrug have both risen up the ranks of our spending table as young people shell out more on make-up and skincare than ever before.
HyperJar data shows that kids’ spending with leading beauty, grooming and well-being retailers between June 23 and June 24 rocketed: Boots spending was up +118%; Superdrug +48% and Sephora +280%.
We were so intrigued by these numbers that we asked 1,800 parents about them.The most surprising finding was that children’s interest in their appearance starts from a young age with around 1 in 6 parents (17.3%) agreeing their 6-8 year olds spend more on their appearance than they did.
It gets worse as kids get older, rising to a third (30.1%) of parents with 9-11 year olds and peaking at 45.6% for parents of 12-14 year olds.
Clicks vs Bricks
The younger generation prefers to shop with their fingertips rather than walk around traditional bricks and mortar stores.
Shopping online, where people can use coupons and take advantage of end of season sales, is more popular for kids and teens, with visits to shopping malls varying in popularity depending on the wealth of the family. They’re now a luxury rather than something families do every weekend. The least affluent families did 14% of their spending exclusively online, compared to 4% from the most affluent families
How HyperJar can help teach kids’ smart spending habits
HyperJar kids cards for under 18s are linked to their parents app so you can see exactly where your child is spending their money.
HyperJar has unique spending control features, which means you can block the kids’ card working at a range of retailers, or make them work only with the places you specify.
If your child wants to save for a big buy, like a new computer game, you can help them to create a saving jar and automate payments into it after they get their pocket money. This helps them to visualise what it’s going to take for them to reach their savings goal.
FAQS
How do kids spend money?
Our spending analysis shows that kids like to get value for money. Shopping at Shein and Vinted, they snap up deals. However, they also love instant gratification, spending plenty on convenience food at McDonald’s and Tesco.
What is the biggest expense for teens and kids?
Snacks are the biggest expenses for teens and kids, with the two retailers at the top of our 2024 spending chart being McDonalds and Tesco. Those little treats after school soon add up. Gaming is also a big expense with more money spent at Xbox than on fashion retailers like Shein, Vinted and Primark.
What are the top spending categories for kids and teens?
Food, fashion, beauty and gaming are the top spending categories for kids and teens. HyperJar research found that kids from the age of 6 are spending more money on their appearance than their parents did at the same age.
Read the full report
.png)