Parents sometimes just want to get out of a supermarket without making a scene, and often, the quick fix of buying a lollipop for a screaming child is too easy to resist. A new study by Roy Morgan Research confirms the true strength of the ‘pester power’ children wield.

In a survey of children aged 6 to 13, over one third of young respondents believed they were successful in getting what they wanted from pestering their parents. It’s not something parents would readily admit, but kids think they have big influence over their parents particularly with toys and games purchases, as well as breakfast cereals and choosing brand of chips.

“The influence Young Australians have on the purchasing decisions is significant across a range of products, Roy Morgan's industry director of agencies Michael Duncan says. “While you would expect young Australians to have a major influence on toys and games, they also have a significant say in what they wear and eat, this generation often knows what they want and expect to be able to convince their parents to buy it for them.”