Small voices, big say: Gulf kids aren’t just asking, they’re deciding

The family's newest decision-maker is five years old.

Brands in the Gulf have long spoken to kids as the audience and to parents as the buyers. Inside the home, that line has already blurred.

We asked mums of 5-12 year olds who really decides across 19 categories, from snacks to the family car. Kids have a say almost everywhere, and the final word on much of what's bought for them.

Three things we heard

1. Kids decide what's bought for them. 88% of kids have a say in the things bought for them, and 73% decide or strongly influence them. Sweets, snacks, food and drinks top the list: around 9 in 10 kids decide or strongly influence these.

2. They have a seat at the family table. 84% have a say in family outings. Around two-thirds decide or strongly influence where the family eats out and what it does at the weekend. Half have some say in big family purchases, and 1 in 5 help decide on the family car.

3. The say starts at five. 5-8 year olds have as much say as 9-12s, and girls as much as boys. Influence isn't something kids grow into as tweens. And 9 in 10 have pocket money of their own, so they're customers in their own right.

Same story, three accents

Kuwaiti kids have the strongest say over their own things. Saudi kids reach furthest into family purchases, from home décor to devices. UAE kids have a say everywhere: Emirati and Arab expat kids more often simply decide, while Asian expat kids more often ask and negotiate their way to a yes.

For brands

Win two buyers at once. Give the child the "I want" and the parent the "yes", in the same pack, shelf and ad. Talk to 5-8 year olds as decision-makers, not just tweens. And with 9 in 10 kids holding money of their own, price and pack for them as customers too.

Want the full picture, category by category and market by market?

Let's talk: pratibha@sketchnext.com

Source: AlphaQ 2024, sketchNEXT's Gen Alpha study. 1008 mums of 5-12 year olds, interviewed with their child.