New & Expectant Gen-Z Prone to Continue Regular Shopping at Clothing, Discount and Department Stores Compared With Millennial Counterparts
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 30, 2019 – Baby product brands and advertisers will need to tailor their retail and marketing strategies for the new generation of Gen Z parents whose spending habits differ significantly from Millennial new parents, according to a study published today by Healthline Media, the number one online health media property in the U.S. with 86 million unique visitors per month.
The Healthline Parenthood Shopping Study, which surveyed more than 6,500 new or expectant parents, found that new and expecting Gen Z parents (ages 18-22) are more likely to continue spending on themselves than their younger Millennial (23-30) and older Millennial (31-39) counterparts. Fifty-seven percent of Gen-Z survey respondents said that they did not reduce spending on items for themselves, compared with 49 percent of younger and older Millennials.
Across all three age groups, respondents are more likely to shop regularly at child-focused stores and less at stores that primarily sell items for adults since becoming a parent or soon-to-be parent. Two out of five new and expecting parents say that they shop online more since a baby came into the picture. However, there are sharp differences by generation when it comes to where they regularly shop. For example, the survey showed a small drop (4%) in Gen-Z new and expecting parents that regularly shopping in clothing stores (ex. Gap or J. Crew), in contrast to a 28 percent decrease among both younger and older Millennials. Gen-Z new and soon-to-be moms and dads also reported:
- A 15% drop in regular shopping at discount stores (ex. Marshall’s and TJ Maxx), vs. a 24% drop among younger Millennials or a 29% drop among older Millennials
- A 16% drop in regular shopping at department stores (ex. Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s), vs. a 31% drop among younger Millennials and a 34% drop among older Millennials
- An 18% drop in regular shopping at home goods stores (ex. Bed Bath & Beyond and Pottery Barn), vs. a 32% drop among younger Millennials or a 29% drop among older Millennials
- A 19% drop in regular shopping at electronics stores (ex. Best Buy), vs. a 36% drop among younger Millennials or a 34% drop among older Millennials
Additionally, the survey found that shopping regularly at big box stores such as Buy Buy Baby and Babies “R” Us increases among younger and older Millennials since becoming a parent or soon-to-be parent (57% and 76% respectively), while the rise in shopping was smaller for their Gen-Z counterparts (48%). The trend was similar when it comes to toy stores as well.
Eco-related considerations unquestionably rise to the top for Gen-Z new or expectant parents:
- 70% cited eco-related factors among things they consider important when deciding what products to buy, compared to 66% of younger Millennials and 65% of older Millennials
- When asked what the most important factors were in deciding what to buy, the primacy of eco-related factors became even more pronounced, with 42% of Gen-Z citing eco-factors as the most important in deciding what to buy, vs. 33% among younger Millennials and 34% among older Millennials
“This study makes it clear that while Gen-Z new and expecting parents are spending to provide for baby, they are more willing than previous generations to take care of themselves,” said Dria de Botton Barnes, General Manager, Healthline Parenthood. “The environment is also a major factor for these new and expectant parents even more so than Millennials, who first brought the concern to the fore. Brands and advertisers will need to tailor their retail and marketing strategies for this new generation.”
To review the complete findings, please click here.
Research Methodology
Using the field services provided by SurveyWriter, Southpaw Insights fielded a 20-minute online survey among a sample of 6,667 expectant and new American parents (18 to 50 years old). Out of the total sample, 3,064 were expectant parents, and 3,885 were parents of babies 12 months or younger. The survey was in the field from September 13 through September 30, 2019.
About Healthline Media
San Francisco-based Healthline Media’s mission is to empower people to be their strongest and healthiest selves by being a trusted ally in their pursuit of health and well-being. The company is one of the world’s fastest growing health information brands with online properties Healthline.com, MedicalNewsToday.com and Greatist.com. Healthline’s sites provide socially inspired and data-driven articles with the highest standards of medical integrity that support the modern health consumer with a whole-person approach to health and wellness. Healthline Media is the top ranked health publisher and number 36 on Comscore’s Top 100 Property rankings. Across all of its properties, Healthline Media publishes each month up to 1,000 scientifically accurate yet reader friendly articles authored by more than 120 writers and reviewed by more than 100 doctors, clinicians, nutritionists, and other experts. The company’s repository contains more than 70,000 articles, each updated with current protocol. Healthline Media is profitable with year-over-year revenue growth of more than 45 percent. More than 200 million people worldwide and 86 million people in the U.S. visit Healthline’s sites each month, according to Google Analytics and Comscore, respectively.
Media Contact
Stacey Grimsrud
Bospar for Healthline Media
PRforhealthline@bospar.com
415.271.1028