WHAT THE DATA SAY: 43% would rather have pets than kids

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

4 IN 10 PREFER PETS OVER CHILDREN

America is in a pet economy boom, driven by younger generations spending more money, time and attention than ever on their four-legged “children,” based on our Harris Poll Thought Leadership & Futures study.

• 43% of Americans would rather have pets than kids.
• 82% of pet owners see their pets as children.
• A third would trade $1,000 for more time with their pets.
• Pet owners spend $4,366 annually, and younger owners spend even more (Gen Z: $6,013; Millennials: $5,150; Gen X: $3,878; Boomers: $2,454).
• 24% of pet parents admit to being in debt due to pet expenses, jumping to 29% for Gen Z and 34% for Millennials.

TO RECLINE OR NOT RECLINE

Should airlines ban reclining seats on planes? Our Harris Poll study with La-Z-Boy suggests many Americans say “yes.”

• 41% say they support a ban on passengers reclining seats on domestic flights.
• Slightly more women (42%) support a ban versus men (40%).
• Younger fliers dislike reclining (42% for ages 18-34) more than older fliers (38% for ages 35-44 and 35% for ages 55-64).

NO TIPS WHEN STANDING?

More than 3 in 5 Americans won’t tip if they order standing up, based on our Harris Poll study with Paylocity.

• 62% say they will not give a tip if they placed an order while standing – highest among Boomers (66%) and lowest among Gen Z (57%).
• Overall, 65% of Americans say they’re annoyed with how frequently they’re asked to tip.
• Most annoyed are Gen X (70%) and Boomers (68%), compared with Gen Z (56%).

RECYCLING NEEDS A RESET

Several barriers are preventing Americans from recycling more, based on our Haris Poll research with Keep America Beautiful.

• 33% of Americans are confused about what can and cannot be recycled (42% for Gen Z and Millennials).
• 41% throw items in the trash to avoid making recycling mistakes.
• 21% say recycling has caused arguments at home, especially among younger generations (37% for Gen Z and 32% for Millennials).
• 63% rate America’s recycling system a ‘C’ or lower, and 22% give it a ‘D’ or ‘F.’

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