Traduction uk families

UK families face consumer pressure

Parents in the UK feel powerless before the consumer pressures on their children, suggests international research into family life.

 A study by UNICEE, comparing families in the UK, Sweden and Spain, found UK parents buy brands to "protect" their children from bullying.

The report also states that parents in Sweden and Spain found it easier to "set clear boundaries for their children".

The researchers consulted 250 young people in total, comparing the experiences of 24 families in the UK and in two other Western European countries, and then discussing the findings in focus groups of children aged 8 to 13.

They found that family life was "part of the social fabric of everyday life" in Sweden and Spain.

“Brand bullying”

But in the UK families felt under much greater pressure. They worried about a shortage of time with their children and the feeling of being unable to resist the "materialism"

 of modern childhood.

            Fears about not having the right brand of trainers or electronic gadgets for children meant that parents in the UK, particularly those on low incomes, felt they had to buy these goods, even if it meant getting into debt.

             A 14 year old from the UK told researchers: "You could live in a dustbin, and as long as you have an iPod, a Blackberry, then you're accepted."

          This value attached to such possessions was a particular feature of family life in the UK. "Fears about brand bullying' are much stronger there since parents seem to feel much more helpless," said Dr Nairn.

           There was an incredibly strong feeling that children should have these things to fit in, otherwise they would be the only ones in their class not to have them."

Family time

In comparison, parents in Spain and Sweden seemed to find it easier to refuse to buy goods for their children and there seemed to be much less pressure to have particular brands.

In Sweden there are tougher limits on advertising aimed at young people, which could be a factor in a less consumerist culture.

Family life, including extended families, was more clearly protected in Spain and Sweden, the research suggests.

         It is clear that children want to spend time with their family and friends.

Parents in the UK struggle to spend enough time with their children.

But a culture of long working hours and distractions inside the house, such as computers and televisions, means that families in the UK spend less time together.

By Sean Coughlan,
BBC News, 14 Sep 2012

Les familles britanniques face à la pression des consommateurs 

         Les parents au Royaume-Uni se sentent impuissants devant les pressions des consommateurs sur leurs enfants, suggère des recherche internationale sur la vie familiale.

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