Children are frequently influencing parents to buy unhealthy food during the weekly shop, according to new research.
A study being presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul found that more than half of parents in England are regularly pestered by their children or teenagers to buy products high in fat, salt or sugar.
Researchers surveyed 1,050 parents and found that 58 per cent said their children “frequently” or “always” asked for specific products while food shopping.
Almost three-quarters of parents, 72 per cent, said they often bought the item their child had requested.
The findings suggest that children’s influence over household food purchases remains significant, particularly in environments where unhealthy products are heavily promoted.
Many parents also reported being affected by wider pressures in shops.
Almost six in 10, 59 per cent, said price promotions and in-store offers influenced unplanned food purchases, while 52 per cent said shopping with children contributed to buying items they had not intended to purchase.
Lead researcher Emma Boyland, professor of food marketing and child health at the University of Liverpool, said: “While children might not be paying the bill at the checkout, their influence over their parents’ purchasing decisions is very real.
“Parents can, and do, say no but the current food environment does not help parents to feed their children healthy diets.
“Our findings highlight the need for significant transformation of online and in-store food shopping environments and marketing, both of which have a huge influence on what products parents buy and children eat, and increase the risk of childhood obesity.”
The survey was made up mostly of women, with children aged between one and 18.
Only four per cent of parents said their child never requested products while food shopping.
Children aged four to 11 were found to make more demands than those aged 12 to 18, and were more likely to pester than children aged three and under.
The most commonly requested items were ice creams and lollies, cited by 45 per cent of parents, followed by sweets and chocolates at 43 per cent and sweets and biscuits at 42 per cent.
More than half of parents said their children verbally asked for products.
One in three said their child had picked up items and placed them in the basket or trolley, while around one in six said their child talked about a product display or in-store advert.
Older children appeared more likely to be influenced by in-store advertising or media adverts.
Overall, a quarter of parents said branded, child-friendly characters on packaging, or food adverts seen on TV or online before shopping, were driving requests from children.
Almost a quarter of parents, 23 per cent, said the requests made them feel upset, guilty or distressed.
Co-author Dr Magdalena Muc, from the Open University, said: “Children are highly susceptible to powerful and sophisticated marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages, and the frequent exposure we observe prompts them to pester their parents, putting them at greater risk of developing overweight and obesity.
“Concerningly, our findings suggest that it is the parents experiencing food insecurity who are pestered more frequently and it can be a real source of distress.”
The researchers said the findings underline the need for stronger action on unhealthy food marketing and shopping environments to support families in making healthier choices.