5 Key Insights from Parents about Kids Food Products

This month’s insights are all about the topic of kids’ food products. We asked parents from our trusted panel to tell us their views on choosing and buying food products for their child. Read on to find out more about 5 Key Insights From Parents About Kids’ Food Products and to download our free insights report.

Would you like tailored insights for your brand? Use our trusted panels of engaged parents and our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help your decision making and activate customers. Contact us now to find how we can help.

This month’s Insights report gives feedback from parents and insights into their views on choosing food products for the children in their family when shopping and what influences them to buy. To gather this, we partnered with Innovate Solutions who carried out an online survey, then ParentsandBrands ran an online focus group with our trusted panel on our private platform.

5 Key Stats on Kids Food Products

An online quantitative survey of 21 questions was distributed via email during November to 303 Irish female consumers across the country. The survey was active for 12 days and the total number of complete responses was 188.

Key stats from Parents about Kids Food Products

1. 52% of parents are concerned about media advertisements of unhealthy food & drink products to kids
2. 63% of parents will try a new kids’ food product if there’s an offer
3. Only 9% of parents buy purely branded kids’ products
4. 73% of parents say Low Sugar or Low Salt is the number one influence on kids’ product purchase
5. 78% of parents said that the package indicating it was a healthy kids product motivated them to buy a new product

Online Focus Group Insights

An Online Focus Group was carried out on the MyInsightsOnTime private platform in November 2020 with 19 women from our trusted panel from across Ireland.

Here are some of the key insights and feedback:

Food Brands Advertising to Kids

“I understand they have to do it for marketing but yes some of them annoy me as it can lead to pester power from the kiddos! It would be beneficial if the ad clearly stated what a portion size should be and how many teaspoons of sugar are in it. In clear language for the children.”

Trying New Kids’ Food Products

“If they offer a money off coupon, they always work to get me to try new products. Maybe bundling it with another child friendly product in the supermarket. If it is with something else they eat, they may be more inclined to try the new thing.”

Own Label vs Branded Kids’ Products

“I used to buy mostly branded but now I am not fussy. As long as there is not a major difference with content, then I don’t mind. A lot of products are from the same supplier and are just rebranded.”

What Influences Kids’ Food Product Purchase

“The main factor is if they will eat it or not. If I find a new product that I think they might like I mention it a few times before I buy it so it doesn’t seem brand new. I try to buy what is healthy and also good value. If I get a voucher for a free product or money off I will buy it to try it and hopefully get a new food that is liked which I can add to the list of what the kids will eat.”

Packaging on Kids’ Food Products

“I tend to buy kids’ products on promotion. Sustainable packaging and suitable size for lunch box are important. The flavour is the most important factor, directly followed by the nutritional value of the food.”

Key Recommendations for Brands

• Seek to reduce the sugar content of your kids’ product and/or replace with natural sugars as this is a key choice factor for parents. Make sure this is also highlighted on the packaging.
• Transition to eco packaging – modern mothers are tired of single use plastic, especially when it comes to single kids portions! Sustainable packaging will make your product more favourable.
• Offers are a big driver of parents adopting new kids’ products, so look at opportunities to create vouchers to encourage parents to try your product.

Download This Month’s Free Insights Report

For more stats and insights into what parents feel about food products for their child, download this month’s free Insights report on 5 Key Insights From Parents About Kids’ Food Products.

In the report you’ll get in-depth survey stats, drill-down insights and recommendations.

Would you like insights from parents for your business? Talk to our panels of engaged mums and dads, using our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help influence and activate them. Contact us now to find how we can help.