Purchase decision making and the increasing significance of family types

The purpose of this paper is to note the growing significance of different family types in the west and explore the relationship between the complexity of family relationships typified in single parent, blended and intact families and the involvement of children in purchase decisions.

The quantitative research is a development based on earlier qualitative research on the three family types and large‐scale piloting of the questionnaire. A random sample of mothers with children aged 10‐16 were contacted from the TNS Postal Access Panel. Questionnaires were only used where there were responses from both the mother and child. A total of 524 fully completed questionnaires were used for the analysis.

The analysis supports the idea that where familial relationships are simpler such as in single parent homes (fewer relationships) then the involvement of the child is greater and in more complex relationships such as in blended homes (where there are step‐parents and step children present) a child's involvement may be less marked. Exceptions to the “rule” are discussed as are the theoretical and practical implications.

Whilst social trends indicate that the composition of the family will continue to change, little research has been conducted on the impact of changing family structures on consumption behaviour.