Almost two-thirds of parents/grandparents of 0-15 year olds are happy to take nutritional advice for their child/grandchild from an AI. Use of this technology will help retailers garner shopper goodwill, and also warrants exploration by government health bodies to boost their low consumer engagement.
Addressing concerns about ultra-processed foods, whether through product labelling, NPD, or educating consumers, is key for brands operating in the family market. Over two-thirds of parents/grandparents of 0-15 year olds have cut back on buying ready-made products for their child in the year to April 2025.
There are good opportunities for further innovation in permissible treats, given the balance of health and indulgence when people are buying for children. Vitamins/minerals and lower sugar are seen as important when buying food/drink for children, but almost three-quarters say the children have a lot of say in what they buy for them.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Types of food and drink typically bought for children aged 0-15
- Leading factors prompting purchase of food/drink for children aged 0-15, including health and the children’s preferences
- Leading sources of information influencing parents’/grandparents’ choice of food/drink for children, including friends/family, social media and government websites
- Differences in perceptions of food/drink products labelled ‘for kids’ and ‘for family’, including those relating to health and value
- Parents/grandparents’ behaviours and attitudes in relation to sugar and processed foods
- Trends in launch activity in food/drink products targeted at a child/family audience
Who are Gen Alpha?
Generation Alpha, also known as Gen Alpha, refers to the segment of people born between 2010 and 2025. As of 2025 they are aged 0-15 years olds, and are the first generation born entirely in the 21st century. Often called ‘mini-Millennials’ or the ‘tech generation’, they are typically the children of Millennial parents. Gen Alpha is growing up in a world where technology, such as smartphones, social media, AI, and virtual assistants, is ubiquitous from birth. This has shaped them into digital natives who expect high levels of interactivity and personalisation in their experiences.
Gen Alpha is predicted to be the most diverse generation yet, with a heightened appreciation for inclusivity and authenticity. They are hyper-informed, inquisitive, and have a strong sense of responsibility towards environmental and social issues, which is ingrained from an early age. Their upbringing is also marked by a parenting revolution, where their opinions are respected, making them significant influencers within their households. As consumers, they are expected to hold brands to higher standards regarding sustainability, diversity, and meaningful engagement, and they are poised to have significant economic impact as they mature.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Alice Baker. Alice analyses and writes on the UK Food & Drink sector, having joined Mintel in January 2016. She has previously worked for the International Meat Trade Association and in local government. She holds a BA in History and an MA in History of Political Thought from University College London.
Delivering the health aspects to satisfy parents/grandparents, while also aligning with children’s preferences, is key for brands operating in the family market.
Alice Baker
Food and Drink Analyst
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for children’s food and drink
- Permissible treats remain key to appeal to both parents and children
- Align with scratch cooking and explain benefits of processing to address UPF concerns
- Harness the human connection to drive purchase
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Key market drivers
- What consumers want and why
- Parents buy both healthy and treat foods for children; mothers are the key buyers
- Graph 1: types of food bought for children, 2025
- Fruit-based drinks are the most popular; types of drinks bought vary by children’s age
- Graph 2: types of drinks bought for children, 2025
- Healthiness and children’s preferences are parents’ priorities
- Graph 3: parents/grandparents’ priorities when buying food and drink for children, 2025
- Friends/family have the most influence in choice of food/drink for children
- Graph 4: influences* on choice of food and drink for children, 2025
- Nutrition and good value are ‘family’ and ‘kids’ products’ top associations, but only half of parents/grandparents hold them
- Graph 5: perceptions of “for kids” and “for family” products, 2025
- Cutbacks on ready-made products; AI nutritional advice appeals widely
- Graph 6: behaviours relating to children’s food and drink, 2025
- Innovation trends
- Children’s food/drink launches are limited; bakery, snacks and chocolate lead
- Examples of children’s food and drink launches in 2024-25
-
MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market drivers
- One in four parents see finances as ‘healthy’, one in three feel confident
- Graph 7: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-25
- Continuing income squeeze in 2025 will erode sales for some products and boost others
- Appeal to older Gen Alphas now to support future sales
- Graph 8: population estimates, by generation, 2023
- Childhood obesity remains a major issue
- Graph 9: prevalence of healthy and overweight among children in the 2023/24 school year in England
- Many children fall short of dietary targets
- Government restricts marketing of HFSS foods to support children’s health
- Extension to the soft drinks levy proposed
-
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Types of food bought for children
- Chocolate leads, fresh fruit/vegetables are close behind in buying for children
- Graph 10: types of food bought for children, 2025
- Mothers buy more than fathers; grandparents are also important
- Graph 11: types of food bought for children, by resident parents of children aged under 16 and grandparents, 2025
- Permissible children’s treats hold NPD and marketing potential
- Make it easier for parents/grandparents to find healthier treats
- Appealing to children, as well as parents, is crucial
- Health-focused treats seek to please both parents and children
- Types of drinks bought for children
- Fruit juice and juice drinks are parents’ top choice, boosted by their health halo
- Graph 12: types of drinks bought for children, 2025
- Types of drinks bought differ by the children’s age
- Graph 13: types of drinks bought for children, by age of the youngest child or grandchild, 2025
- Parents/grandparents’ priorities when buying food and drink for children
- Healthiness and children’s preferences are key for parent/grandparents
- Graph 14: parents/grandparents’ priorities when buying food and drink for children, 2025
- Balancing appeal to parents and children is crucial
- Call out products’ vitamin/mineral content more prominently
- Scope for further NPD in fortified foods
- Educate consumers on calcium’s importance for older children
- Graph 15: selected priorities when buying food/drink for children, by age of the youngest child/grandchild, 2025
- Many parents/grandparents are concerned about sugar, but they do not always act on this
- Communications balancing act
- Parents are suspicious of sweeteners
- Look beyond sweeteners for alternatives to sugar
- Expand into lower-sugar categories
- Influences on choice of food and drink for children
- Multiple options for brands to prompt purchase for children
- Graph 16: influences* on choice of food and drink for children, 2025
- Human influence is key to driving purchase for children
- Aim marketing at fathers as well as mothers
- Graph 17: influences* on choice of food and drink for children, by mothers vs fathers, 2025
- Friends/family have the most influence
- Mine emotional associations around food
- Brands have a right to play in social media dialogue
- Encourage interaction on social media to drive implied endorsements
- Feature user reviews in marketing and at POS
- Giveaways harness the influence of friends/family
- Emphasize children’s approval of the products
- Perceptions of ‘for kids’ and ‘for family’ products
- Nutrition and value are among top associations for’kids’ and ‘family’ products
- Graph 18: perceptions of “for kids” and “for family” products, 2025
- Call out health credentials to boost nutritious image
- Tap parents’ trust in experts
- ‘Stealth health’ remains pertinent amid need to appeal to both parents and children
- ‘Family’ products lead on good value, but only half of parents/grandparents think this
- Focus on value-for-money aspects beyond price
- Behaviours relating to children’s food and drink
- Cutbacks on ready-made food for seven in ten parents/grandparents
- Graph 19: behaviours relating to children’s food and drink, 2025
- Need to address parents’/grandparents’ concerns about processed foods
- Ultra-processed foods spark concerns, but convenience will support sales
- Suggest how products can be incorporated into homemade meals
- Shortcut cooking products designed for children’s health needs hold further potential
- Explain the advantages of processing
- Highlight where more ‘processed’ options have environmental advantages
- Embrace technological solutions to boost children’s healthy eating
- Openness to AI guidance on children’s healthy eating signals a key area to explore
- Use AI to make official health advice more engaging
- Make AI advice available at POS in retail
-
INNOVATION TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Bakery, chocolate and snacks lead children’s food and drink launches
- Graph 20: share by top five categories of food/drink launches with ‘children 5-12’ positioning, 2019-25 (sorted by 2024-25)
- Vitamin/mineral-related health claims lead, but are still fairly rare
- Graph 21: share of new product launches with a ‘children 5-12’ positioning, by top ten health claims (sorted by 2024-25), 2018-25
- Sugar-related claims remain rare in children’s food and drink
- Fruit flavours feature in one in three launches, but little real innovation
- ‘Grown-up’ food/drink brands add children’s versions
- Lidl bans child-appeal designs in less-healthy own-label products…
- …but many brands continue to use popular characters
- Increased competition in ‘surprise inside’ formats
- Iceland links up with Mumsnet on ready meals range
-
APPENDIX
- Supplementary details
- HFSS is defined by nutrient profile
- Report scope and definitions
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
$ 2,995 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook avaliable on our platform
-
Save 20% when you purchase two or more reports
Offer available for this month only
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn moreTrusted by global industry leaders
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn more
