Report: Teens

Food & drink

Tell me what is in your fridge/cupboards?
Cupboard staples are soup, cereal and crisps. Respondents indicated a desire to be more healthy though, especially the teenage girls. Fridges generally contain fruit, yoghurts and milk.

How important is it that the foods are ‘healthy’ for both you and your household?
Healthiness is extremely important to teens. And although they admit to having treats now and then they are very aware of the associated benefits
of eating well, from improved concentration, feeling happy and better skin. The rise in obesity was also noted.

What drinks do you consume, why and when?
The most popular drinks are soft drinks such as fruit juice, cordial and water. Fizzy drinks are reserved for special occasions and socialising with friends

Describe a typical mealtime at home in your household
Responses went against traditional teenage stereotypes by revealing a preference to sit together around the table and not watch TV while eating.
Admitting that meal times is often the only time spent together after rushing around all day, teens enjoy talking together. However meal times are often staggered with parents and older siblings eating at different intervals.

Hopes, dreams and Fears

Where/how do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
A career is important, and respondents want a job they will enjoy doing rather that earning big bucks. Having a spouse and children was low on the agenda for these teens.

What are you worried about in the future?
The biggest fears are not being able to get a job, not having enough money to survive and the rising cost of housing. Many are also concerned about environmental issues like global warming and in the immediate future GCSE exams.

What are you positive about in the future?
Teens are looking forward to their first job and the financial independence that goes with it.

What would be your ideal world?
Responses revealed that what teens want most is equality, a world where people have the same opportunities. An ideal world would also mean less violence and war and a safer world generally.

What environmental concerns do you have?
Teens are concerned about the effects of global warming and worry that pollution and climate change will affect them in their life time.

What would you like to change about society?
The biggest thing teens would like to change is the amount of crime, to make society fell safer and for people to have more respect for others.
Interestingly responses revealed that teens would like to have more say in how society is run, with more voting rights at an earlier age.

Leisure & Health

What do you do for entertainment and to relax?
Going to the cinema and in to town to go shopping are the most popular past times for this age group. In home entertainment includes the internet, computer games and spending time at friends homes. Eating out is also one of the top ways to spend spare time.

What do you do to try and stay healthy?
Teens believe exercise is the most important way to stay healthy and the majority like to keep active, from walking to school to walking around the shops! Eating healthily seems to be less of a priority for this age group.

How do you exercise, how important is sport in your household?
Sport participation is individual rather than family based but parents are very strong role models and the teens respect their parents who do a lot of exercise.

What causes stress at home?
Family arguments, coursework deadlines and parental work tension all factors that contribute towards rising stress levels for these youngsters. A lack or space and having to share electrical appliances and the TV also don’t help to keep the peace.

Media & Technology

What do you use the computer for at home?
The teens love using the computer to talk to friends, via MSN, MySpace and Hotmail. Other uses include homework and gaming.

What do you do on the web – which sites and why?
The most popular websites are those that allow quick ad easy transfer of pictures and messages such as MySpace, Piczo, Bebo and MSN.

What kind of TV and service do you have? HD? Sky plus?
Sky is rated higher than other TV providers because of its extensive range of channels. However, many admitted that they don’t view half of the available programmes and sometimes find it annoyed having to flick through so many.
Teens want more music channels available and think that often there are not enough shows that appeal to their age group.

What gadgets do you have – which is the best one and why?
It is essential for teens to have an iPod and a mobile phone at all times. iPods provide them with music and entertainment when they are on the go and teens need mobiles to text their friends, stay in contact with their parents and take photos with the camera.

Which mobile phone provider are you with, how and why did you choose that?
Choice is often family driven, with teens choosing phone providers that parents or siblings are on or having phones picked for them by parents.
Added extras and deals like Orange’s cinema tickets are popular though and respondents do like to look around for the best deals on the internet.

Retail

What’s your favourite shop and why?
Top shops are Primark, Topshop, River island and H&M. Teens love Primark because of the low prices of the stock and think other stores likeTopshop or pricey in comparison. Respondents also like H&M because its offer a good range of sizes to fit them.

What could shops do to encourage loyalty from you?
Teens would like more discount schemes and loyalty cards that let them save up money to spend in store. They would also like to see fewer queues in store and more helpful staff.

What would encourage you to conduct more shopping online?
Teens would shop more online if sites were made easier to navigate and had higher security. Also teens want sites that allow them to buy without having to use a credit card.

What could shops do to be more environmentally friendly?
Reducing the amount of packaging and plastic bags and the distance goods have travelled are what teens would like companies to start working on.

Which shops have the best in-store environment?
Teens like shops that play good music and have interesting window displays. The best ins tore environment is not too cluttered, not too busy and has lots of space to move around in.

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