Gen Alpha ‘born with the buy button at their fingertips’

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More than half (52%) of 7- to 14-year-olds report having added items to shared online shopping carts, and a quarter have independently ordered from food apps, according to a new report on Generation Alpha from PwC.

The report christens Gen Alpha “the youngest chief influence officers” and describes them as having been “born with the buy button at their fingertips.” The online survey polled 1,004 kids aged 7–14 in January and February.

While Gen Z, the next oldest generational cohort, are often dubbed digital natives, the report notes that Gen Alpha spent “their earliest years,” during the Covid pandemic, “going to school on screens,” and may be even more immersed in technology.

Nearly half (46%) of 7- to 9-year-olds reported already owning a smartphone, and that jumps to 89% among those aged 13–14. And whether it’s on their own phones or their parents’, they’re making purchases on them, with 12% of those aged 7–9 saying they’ve bought products using digital wallets (like Apple Pay), as have 23% of 13- to 14-year-olds.

In other words, these aren’t Gen X kids who merely tugged at parents’ sleeves to get them to buy Froot Loops.

“Generation Alpha isn’t a future consumer segment waiting in the wings,” the report reads. “The kids are participating now, influencing billions in household spending and building brand relationships that could last decades.”

As for how to reach those pint-sized consumers, placing ads on the nightly news probably won’t cut it. Among Gen Alpha respondents, 68% said they’re regular users of YouTube, followed by gaming platforms (54%), and streaming services (49%). TikTok use grows with age, with only 21% of 7- to 9-year-olds using it regularly, compared to 46% of those aged 13–14.

“If your brand isn’t on social media, gaming platforms, and streaming services, you’re likely invisible to this generation,” the report advises. “Influencer partnerships, in-app placements, and social commerce are foundational.”

Of course, you’ll want to be very careful when it comes to marketing to little Riley and Sawyer. In 2025, The Walt Disney Co. was hit with a $10 million FTC fine for failing to label some videos it posted to YouTube as “Made for Kids” and allegedly collecting personal data on kids under 13 without parental consent.