35 million US households include children younger than 18. The majority (69%) are headed by a married couple. Parenting trends allow for kids to have significant influence on household decisions – including purchases for the child individually as well as those for the whole family.

Key opportunity: Millennial dads are under-targeted and a potentially lucrative demographic. Millennial dads are most likely to say they prefer to shop with their children and that they feel better buying things for their kids rather than for themselves.

Key challenge: The majority of parents are worried about spoiling their kids and that saying “yes” may encourage even more requests and expectations for gratification instead of satisfying their children. 48% of parents say “yes” less than half the time when their kids ask to buy something.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel uses the following definitions:

• Kids: children younger than 18 living in the household of the parent/guardian taking the survey

• Parents: adults aged 18+ who are parents/guardians to kids younger than 18 living in the household