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How Gen Alpha is Influencing Their Parents’ Shopping

Kids have more say in family purchases than ever, so much so that parents are consulting them before making these decisions…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Mar 12 2026
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gen Alpha and Gen Z have major influence on what their parents buy, and not just games and toys
Kids are getting a say on clothes and food, and they know about some brands well before parents
Parents are also getting kids’ opinions on personal care, thanks to their early love of beauty

Kids—including the very youngest Gen Alpha—have some serious shopping influence in their homes. YPulse first highlighted this back in 2023 in our Gen Alpha Spotlight trend report, which explored how kids were shaping their parents’ purchasing decisions. Since then, our research on tweens and parents of toddlers has only continued to show this influence. In fact, YPulse’s latest Finance / Spending Monitor report shows 69% of parents say their children influence their regular purchases. But compared to previous gens, parents today aren’t just figuring out what their kids like through trial and error—like seeing what they’ll eat or what clothes...