Study: “Green” babies cost more to raise

Most new parents would like to know that the products they purchase for their baby did not harm the environment, and that they did not cause harm or hardship to someone else’s child, in the course of their harvest or manufacture. However, a new report prepared for Family Investments, a provider of child trust funds, shows that buying eco-friendly or ethical products can lead to extra expense at a time when many families cannot afford them.

The report found that ethical baby food costs 79p per jar, while a jar of regular baby food costs just 63p. The cost of baby products, such as baby lotion or oil, ran an average of £1.75 for general brands versus £3 for ethical or green brands. General brands of nappies cost an average of 19p each, while green brands ran at an average 41p each. Parents who wish to remain ethical and environmentally friendly stand to spend an extra £700 in the first year of a baby’s life, according to the report.

Owners of fair trade shops say that the offer a good value for the products they sell and insist that paying the extra money to support green and ethical causes. Additionally, 42 percent of parents have been found to want to use green and ethical products in the raising of their children. However, they often have to prioritize which ethical products are the most important for them to buy in order to remain within limited budgets. According to the Family Investments study, 66 percent are concerned that their children are breastfed as opposed to letting them drink formula, while 42 percent bought organic baby food rather than standard brands.

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