According to a study by the French banking federation, girls and boys do not receive the same sum of pocket money.
If the wage gap between men and women is no longer to be proven – in the private sector, a woman earns an average of 22.2 % less than a man, in 2023, according to data from theINSEE – As surprising as it may seem, inequalities also affect children. Indeed, according to an interactive Harris survey for French Banking Federationgirls and boys do not completely receive the same sum of pocket money. Among the children who indicate to receive pocket money, a girl pockets an average of 34 euros per month, while a boy receives at the same time 2 euros more, or 36 euros monthly.
A significant difference which cannot be explained by the age of the child, the data of this study based on a sample of 1,099 children aged 8 to 14 and representative of this population. Nor can it be explained by a potential gap of skills, or level, as could be the case when it comes to remuneration and a very specific position within the framework of an employment contract. Here, depending on the study, a little boy has a factually pocket agent compared to a girl. Please note, this is an average, the study does not indicate that there are inequalities within the same household.
In total,53% of children say they receive money regularly, an upward trend (+6 points compared to 2019) specifies the study. Most often, money is paid monthly by parents, this is the case for 45% of children. On average, “children receive 35 euros per month (39 euros for 13-14 year olds)”, can be read. And that’s not all, the gender difference goes a little further.
Indeed, on the expenditure side, the study shows that girls and boys use their pocket money for very distinct expenses. Boys say they are clearly favoring video games (42%), and in girls, makeup is the coast, just like beauty products (31% of them). Despite the rise of influencers, children are more influenced by the objects that their friends have (79%) and television advertisements (63%). The content published on the Internet and those promoted by influencers are acclaimed by 56% of children.
Today, the average age of the first online purchase is 10 and a half years, a “stable” fact since 2019 indicates the study. If 32% of children declare to pay for their purchases online with their personal tools (computer, tablet, smartphone), 10% ensure that they have already bought something online without the authorization of their parents. A proportion that climbs to 16% among 13-14 year olds.