Consumerism Statistics: Data on Consumer Spending including spending by young people

Resources for Finding the Most Current Data (scroll down for a sampling of actual stats)

Globalissues.org has a very good page on "Behind Consumption and Consumerism," with data and analysis plus links to even more detailed information amd statistics, such as on Children as Consumers. Other subtopics found on the left navigation bar include Creating the Consumer, Effects, Tobacco, Obesity, Sugar, Beef, Bananas, Wasted Wealth, and Wasted Labor.

AllCountries.org has an excellent chart here of data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2000, showing an estimate of the number of hours spent with media and consumer purchase data for recorded music, newspapers, magazines, books, home video, admissions for movies, and consumer on-line/Internet access services between 1992 and 2003. Notice the dramatic rise in both time spent and money spent in almost all categories over the 12-year period (with the last five years as projections only, so you'll still want to keep looking for more current data).

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has a Consumer Expenditure Survey program consisting of "two surveys collected for the BLS by the Census Bureau that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics." WARNING: this is dry government data and not easily accessed. But if this is what you want, here it is.

Good U.S. consumer spending data is available from Advertising Age's American Demographics online section. You have to pay for most of the material, but if they have what you're looking for, it's very reliable. Early 2006 articles include "The Buying Patterns of Rich U.S. Households," "American Consumers: The World's Biggest Spenders," and "Inside the Christmas-Shopping Mind." Searchable archives back to 1988. Use their search box with your keywords, such as those in the titles given here.

The Center for New American Dream's "Facts About Marketing to Children" has good data from a variety of sources, including their own poll on what children want to buy and why.

CommonSenseMedia.org has a Resources section with links to research data on Commercialism issues related to children and teens. Most data is on advertising targeted to youth but there are a few items on children and youth spending.

Ecofuture.org has a good page with a lot of consumption statistics that are older but may give you a good idea of what to look for in more current data.

A Sampling of Media Statistics. some from additional sources you can check for current data

Oct. 2005: The Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA) and CNET's Digital Home consumer research study found that early technology adopters spent an average of $2,441 in the previous year on consumer electronics products, which is nearly two times the national household average. They are most likely to purchase these products at general consumer electronics retailers - the so-called big box stores. Virtually all (99 percent) of this group use the Internet to research new CE products and 69 percent visit retail stores to investigate products in person. About half (48 percent) of early tech adopters ask someone they know about the product. By comparison, only 29 percent look to ad circulars for product info.

July 2005: Online shopping for consumer electronics products gained in popularity according to "The Demographics of Online vs. In-Person CE Shopping," a study recently released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). While an average of five percent of all consumer electronics purchases are made online, certain product categories-including personal computing, digital cameras, wireless home networking devices and portable music players-each sell more than 10 percent of product through online channels.

March 2005: Teenagers and "tweens" aged 13 to 18 make up one of the most targeted markets for consumer electronics. More than half of American teenagers will spend more than $100 on their next consumer electronic purchase and one quarter more than $200, according to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association. More than 90 percent of teens live in a household with a TV, VCR, DVD player, desktop computer and cell phone. The top four electronic products teens want as gifts are laptop computers, cell phones, MP3 players and videogame consoles. "Getting them early on will make them a customer for life," said Rebecca Gertsmark, communication manager for the CEA. "Teens are extremely targeted, they know what they want and they follow trends and set them."

Sept. 2003: How much spending is controlled or influenced by young people? According to a report by KidShopBiz.com (site no longer working as of Oct. 2007):

• Personal spending -- $200 Billion+ (snacks, soft drinks, entertainment, apparel).
• Direct influence -$300 Billion+ (food, snacks, beverages, toys, H&BA, clothing, accessories, gifts, school supplies).
• Indirect influence-- $500 Billion+ (recreation, vacations, technology, the family car, the family).

A 2002 study by research firm U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray found that teens spend an average $135 per month on apparel and related products. Teen girls spend 36% of their disposable income on clothes. The top three store destinations are Abercrombie & Fitch, Express, and American Eagle Outfitters.