Hot on the heels of COP26 and the announcement that the government is planning to change the primary curriculum to include climate change science and sustainability studies, a survey of 2,001 children and parents in the UK and US shines a light on current perceptions today and what families would like to see change. 

Family-focused marketing agency Kids Industries (KI) have launched a new report at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) exploring the relationship children and their parents have with the environment.

It showed that the current understanding of climate concerns and topics is limited and while it’s clear that plastic is still king, planet-friendly toy options are catching up.

Plastic toys were the most popular toy category purchased in the past 12 months by UK parents (40 percent) and US parents (52 percent), followed by second-hand toys in the UK (37 percent) and wooden toys in the US (38 percent)

25 percent of UK parents said that they had bought a ‘sustainable’ toy in the past year

Gary Pope, CEO and Co-Founder at Kids Industries and Children’s Commissioner for Products of Change, commented:

“The introduction of a new environment-based curriculum couldn’t come at a better time. Children need supporting in their knowledge of the issues at hand and what they can do to make a difference – never underestimate the power of collective responsibility. That said, parents don’t want more information, they want it to be easier and they’re looking for companies that can facilitate this.

“The demand for new solutions from children and their parents is evident – and just as recycling is at the forefront of children’s minds, it’s playing on their parents thinking, too, and best of all, it’s the easiest solution. There’s now a genuine desire too for toys that are produced more sustainably – a consciousness to see less waste. The toy industry has a responsibility to review these figures and adjust accordingly. The time to take action and listen to wants and desires in these areas is now.”

About the research

For this research, Kids Industries conducted an online survey of 2001 UK and US children aged 5-15 and their parents (from a nationally represented sample) in October and November 2021.

About Kids Industries

Founded in 1999 by Gary Pope and Jennifer Blows, Kids Industries (KI) is the only full-service marketing agency on the planet that specialises in the family market. This dynamic team of award winning business, strategy & creative experts, have worked with some of the world’s leading family entertainment brands, including LEGOLAND (Merlin), Peppa Pig (EOne), The Gruffalo (Magic Light Pictures), Star Wars (The Walt Disney Company) & Dr Who (BBC Worldwide). They have worked with global charities such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in sports with Liverpool FC & in travel with Royal Caribbean Cruises. Plus, with a host of fantastic FMCG, QSR & retail brands, including The Kellogg Company, Aquafresh (GSK), McDonalds & TESCO. Across all of these brands & businesses, KI always work to connect human emotions, with market intelligence, to make businesses stronger.

www.kidsindustries.com

Scan the QR code now to download the full report for FREE