'Kidflation' leaves children counting the cost of rising prices

soft candy and beverage prices were up losing big kids in the recession, according to a study

children were the big losers of the economic crisis caused a sharp increase in the cost of goods they buy and a reduction in spending money.

inflation in the goods purchased by the children, "kidflation" increased by 68% above inflation in retail prices in the last three years. While the index Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 8.5%, kidflation increased 14.3%, according to a study by Santander charitable and educational personal Education Finance Group (PFEG).

Shopping

children are typical sweets and chocolates, which saw a price increase of 24%, soft drinks, 16.2% and prices of clothing for children increased by 17.4 %. Nearly half of children who are candy, snacks and beverages, the most common things that you have purchased, while a three-called friends and family as the regular use of your money. One in four people regularly spent money on games for game consoles such as PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, which are up to 27%. Telephone, including mobile phones and SMS increased 10.4%.

Nici Audhlam-Gardner, director of the bank Santander, said: "Inflation is generally considered something that only affects adults, but it is clear from our research that children been affected as well, while inflation has been gradual over the years.

• "Children are the costs of everyday purchases, increasing at an alarming rate, and parents are also affected by the costs of items for children to look more and more the standard measure of inflation of adults. "

To make matters worse, almost half of parents surveyed have reduced or stopped the salary they give to their children, or have begun to those who earn by working at home. One in ten children have reduced their spending money, and 2% have completely stopped. Another 13% have reduced their spending money to give and do now work for it, while 21% do their children to earn money but they have not reduced.

Of the 500 children surveyed, the average amount of pocket money between the 10 - to 16 is £ 5.50 per week, worth £ 286 a year. 10 year olds who receive less pocket money £ 163 per year, while only 15 receive about £ 400 a year. In 2007, the average wage of £ 8.01 per week.

Despite this, the researchers found that nearly 42% of 10 years kept up their money in a piggy bank or a savings account at a bank, building society or Post, but this in middle 23% of time the children at the age of 16.