report by Euromonitor International (Tweens: A Force to be Reckoned With: Changing Consumption Habits of 8-12 Year Olds) estimates that tween spending is at its highest ever at $170 billion. Tweens now have more access to money through allowances and gifts, in addition to influencing family purchase decisions. They have also developed a sense of identity with very clear preferences.

The report's author Leonie Tait attributes this trend to the tendency among marketers to treat tweens as teenagers, in order to make them consume more products and services. Though India has the highest tween population in the world, many of them are still not well off. In developed countries, though the tween population is declining, their combined spending power is growing. A key phenomenon in the developed markets is 'age compression' or KGOY (kids getting older, younger). This means tweens are giving up traditional toys for more grown-up products like mobile phones, video games and music players. This has opened new avenues for marketers who can reach this segment through websites and mobile text messages. ... more