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British parents collectively spend £7bn on baby items that are never used, according to data released by iCandy. Around £7bn is spent each year on baby items, from cuddly toys to shoes, that are never used.
iCandy said that 60% of items bought were never used, or used less than twice – and families wasted an average of £379 each in the first 12 months after the baby was born. iCandy spoke to 1,019 parents and found that some families wasted more, around £900 during the first year; iCandy used ONS census data to work out the total figure of £7bn.
Over half of UK parents (57%) admit they bought too much stuff for their baby and close to half (46%) regretted it.
Cameron Appel, vice CEO of iCandy commented: “As a new dad myself, I know firsthand how hard it can be to decode all the advice and information out there, so it’s no surprise that so many of us buy things we think we’ll need, but then never end up using them when baby actually arrives.”
He added: “If you’re preparing for your new baby’s arrival or you’re looking to buy a present for someone who’s about to become a parent, take note, as you might want to spend your money on something else instead.”
Cuddly toys top the list – whilst they’re super cute and look great in a baby’s nursery, one in three UK parents who have kids under 10 (31%) admitted they didn’t use them. In second place are baby towels, with 28% of parents revealing they haven’t used them more than once or twice since they purchased them.
Other baby items that made the ranking include baby shoes, bath seats, slings, breast pumps, and teddies that play the ‘heartbeat’ noise to help soothe your baby.
Cameron added: “Everyone’s parenting journey is unique to them, so we know some of the things on this list may have been invaluable to some people, but for anyone who’s unsure about which things to get, see if you can save money by borrowing these things first to work out if you’ll actually end up using them in the long run.”
Cuddly toys – 30%
Baby towels – 28%
Baby shoes – 25%
Clothes that were never worn – 25%
Baby support seat – 21%
Baby walker – 20%
Bath thermometer 19%
Nappy bin 19%
Breast pump 18%
Baby sling 17%
Fancy outfit 16%
Teddy with heartbeat (soother) 16%
