Materialistic culture plagues UK kids

Press TV, 14th September 2011

A new report has found that British children feel "trapped in a materialistic culture" and want more time with their families, as well as a ban on TV advertising.

The report commissioned by UNICEF UK, the United Nation's Children Fund in Britain provided an in-depth comparison of over 250 children's experiences of materialism and inequality across three developed countries, including the UK, Sweden and Spain.

It found that children, wherever they are, prefer to enjoy happiness with a stable family and plenty of things to do, especially outdoors, rather than on owning technology or branded clothes.

This is while that the British parents said they felt tremendous pressure from society to buy material goods for their children, according to the report. It also said low-income families are bearing the brunt of this pressure.

The research showed that parents in the UK are committed to their children but they lose out on time together as a family due in part to long working hours.

The British parents make their utmost to compensate this by buying their children gadgets and branded clothes, which itself breeds consumerism culture, added the report.

But, in Sweden and Spain, families prioritize their time, which as a result less pressure is felt to own material goods and children have greater access to activities out of the home, said the report.

"Right now politicians are grappling with the aftermath of the unrests and what they say about our society, culture and families. The research findings provide important insights into the pressures children and their families are facing and may speak to some of the underlying issues relating to the disturbances. It is vital that those in power listen to what children and their families are saying about life in the UK”, said UNICEF UK's Executive Director David Bull.

"In response, the government needs to show strong leadership by taking decisive action to help families fight back against the materialism and inequality that is so pervasive in the UK. They need to make sure parents earn enough to spend fewer hours in work and more time with their children, protect children's play facilities from spending cuts and consider reforming the laws controlling advertising to children", he added.