SerpApi.Org
Some parents believe they know what their kids are buying on apps and websites, but a new survey suggests that Gen Alpha are making purchases that some of their guardians know nothing about. Gen A, or children between the ages of 7 and 14, is a generation that knows more about technology and have smartphones integrated into their lives more than prior generations do. As a result, they are also the most “commercially confident kids in history.” And many of them are making purchases independently, particularly on food delivery apps and online shopping, without their parents knowing about it.
Kids are purchasing more items on their own than parents think they do
According to a study conducted by market research expert PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) in 2026 of over 1,000 children and 1,000 parents, Gen Alpha is very familiar with adding items to an online shopping cart, with 52% doing so for parental review before checking out. But some have more autonomy than others.
About one in four kids, or 24%, say they independently order items using shopping apps and websites, as opposed to 19% of parents think they are doing so. This is about the same when it comes to them ordering items through social media (19%), yet a smaller percentage of parents (13%) think they do.
However, this perception gap roughly doubles when talking about purchases made on food delivery apps. About 25% of kids order items on platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats, in contrast to only 14% of parents thinking that they are. This 11-point gap suggests “a meaningful disconnect between what kids do and what parents think they do.”
Nearly 70% of Gen Alpha own their own tablet and 72% use their smartphones regularly. More than that, they spend an average of 3.6 hours on a recreational screen daily. Since these devices simultaneously act as storefronts, kids are “using what they learn online to change how their families spend money.”
Instead of simply asking for things directly, 61% of kids say they add items they desire to birthday or holiday wish lists. The report calls them “strategic and creative planners, often connecting a purchase to an event like a birthday or a strong report card to improve their odds of approval.”
The post Gen A Is Spending Way More on Online Shopping and Food Delivery Than Their Parents Think appeared first on Momtastic.
