Community Spirit Flourishes During Lockdown as Reliance on Baby Banks Increases says Pampers study

48% of parents have visited a baby bank for baby supplies since lockdown

LONDON, June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation emerges from 14 months of restrictions and challenges, a new study by Pampers reveals that lockdown has strengthened community spirit as neighbours and people in the local community became a source of strength for parents. According to the study, 74% of UK parents feel closer to their neighbours now than they did pre-lockdown.

However, the research also revealed that 39% of parents struggled to get hold of nappies since March 2020, highlighted by the increasing reliance on baby banks as 48% of UK parents have had to access a baby bank at least once since the start of the pandemic. And, 18% have had to go on a weekly basis. 59% of parents who struggled to get hold of baby products said they could not get hold of baby products due to stock shortages in stores, while 43% struggled to get baby products to lack of supply online.

The survey, of over 2,000 parents of 0–3-year-olds, is part of the Pampers Power of Local initiative. Championed by TV presenter Alex Jones, it will see the leading baby care brand encourage the nation to come together and help make babies' world better through the power of local which includes supporting local communities with local products made by local families.

Alex Jones said, "The last 14 months have been a challenge for families across the country. But one of the few positives has been how people came together to support each other. Confined to their houses, parents found comfort in getting to know their neighbours, with socially distanced chats over the fence becoming more common than ever, which provided much needed moments of joy during a tough time. This is the spirit that we should capture and continue to build on post-lockdown, and Pampers is doing just that through the Power of Local."

This sense of togetherness is set to endure as communities slowly begin to open, with 62% of parents saying they will continue to have a close relationship with neighbours and people in their community. The support for parents' local community stretches beyond helping neighbours as the pandemic unleashed a philanthropic spirit. Nearly half (47%) of the parents surveyed suggested they are more likely to donate or support charitable causes today compared to a year ago. While 45% support their local community more now than they did at the start of the pandemic. 3 in 5 parents cited the difficulty of the pandemic as the reason why supporting children and baby charities is important to them, with 46% saying they know families who have struggled to pay for access to baby products. This demonstrates a growing appetite for parents to be more involved in charitable causes that in turn will help other parents.

Aileen Nathan, Pampers Vice President for UK, Ireland and Nordics, said; "As parents leaned on their local community for support, they forged links they hope will continue beyond lockdown. However, some parents struggled to get the products or services they really needed for their baby. With 93% of our nappies made right here in the UK, it is our pledge that a pack of Pampers will always be available when you need them for your little one. We are committed to supporting all parents during the parenting journey, and that doesn't just mean on shelf, it also means being there for those that need our products the most. We have a long-standing history of supporting local charities to ensure no baby goes without essential baby care products, such as nappies, and that has never been so pertinent than now. And with the help of our charity partner, Little Village, the leading baby bank charity in the UK, we'll be able to donate over half a million nappies to local baby banks across the UK."

Sophie Livingstone MBE, CEO, Little Village said; "The demand for our support from families has dramatically increased in the last year, and sadly we don't expect to see it decreasing any time soon. In 2020 alone, we supported 5,534 children, almost double that of the previous year. That's why we're delighted that Pampers is helping to provide nappies for some of the families who need them most."

Other notable results from the study include:

• 2 in 5 parents felt very lonely at times during the pandemic, which affected them raising their children.
• 24% had friends and neighbours in their childcare bubble.
• Over 1 in 4 parents shopped for their neighbours during lockdown.

Aileen Nathan concluded; "Lockdown demonstrated the true community spirit of the UK which saw us all coming together to help those that needed it the most. For over 60 years our pledge has always been to support all babies, and those who care for them, to help make their world better. By manufacturing high-quality products locally that parents can trust, and through the donation of nappies to support families in need across the UK, Pampers is fulfilling on its promise to build a better world for babies of today and tomorrow."

As part of this campaign, Pampers is working with a number of partners to help make babies' lives better across the UK. Parents can help when visiting the participating retailers*:

• Asda:  When you buy any Pampers nappies or nappy pants at Asda in-store and online between 28/04/21 to 28/05/2, one nappy will be donated to Little Village.
• Tesco: When you buy any Pampers wipes, nappies or nappy pants at Tesco in-store and online between 03/05/21 and 24/05/21, we will donate to Help NHS Heroes campaign to provide one-to-one mental health support for NHS staff.
• Boots: When you buy any Pampers nappies or pants at Boots between 19/05/21 and 13/07/21, we will donate to The Hygiene Bank to help distribute more products to more locations around the UK.

About the survey:

The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers – RWB between 23rd April 2021 and 30th April 2021.

• The sample comprised 2,004 UK parents of children aged 0-3-years-old
• All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2019)
• RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and complies with the DPA (1998)

*For T&Cs please visit retailers website or see in-store.

About Pampers®

At Pampers, we believe in the power of working together - with parents, experts and our valued partners - to make babies' world better, today and in the future. That's why, for more than 50 years, parents have trusted Pampers to care for babies' happy, healthy development. Pampers is a part of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) and is the #1-selling nappy worldwide. Every day, more than 25 million babies in 100 countries around the world wear Pampers. Pampers offers a complete range of nappies/[diapers], wipes and training pants designed to provide protection and comfort for every stage of baby's development. Visit www.pampers.com to learn more about Pampers products, our latest innovations and for a chance to win rewards.

Pampers, together we make babies' world better.

For T&Cs please visit retailers website or see in-store).

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bold®, Braun®, Daz®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Herbal Essences®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Tampax®, Venus® and Vicks®.

Although headquartered in the US, P&G was founded by an Englishman and an Irishman in 1837, our heritage lives on through the work of around 2500 people across 10 sites, including R&D Centres, Manufacturing Plants and Business sites, across the UK & Ireland. 

Beyond our Purpose, Values & Principles, the foundation on which P&G was built and our guiding force for over 180 years, we aspire to be a force for good, and a force for growth.  Through our citizenship priorities, we want to build a better world for all of us - inside and outside of P&G - free from gender bias, with equal voice and equal representation. Environmental sustainability is embedded into our business, and has been for decades, and we have a strong track record of delivering on our goals in this area.  We support communities around the world through our people, our brands and our partners by delivering the comforts of home, health and hygiene.

To learn more about P&G UK and Ireland, our brands, and our Citizenship programmes, please visit our website, download our Northern Europe Citizenship Report, or follow us on our social channels (Twitter @PGUK and Instagram @pgukandireland)

About Little Village

Little Village is like a foodbank, but for clothes, toys and equipment for babies and children up to the age of 5. We've grown to be one of the largest 'baby banks' in the UK, supporting over 11,000 children since we launched in 2016.  Families are referred to us via a network of over 1,800 professionals such as midwives and social workers.  Little Village's vision is that every child in the capital has the essential items they need to thrive.

Find out more at www.littlevillagehq.org

F: www.facebook.com/LittleVillageHQ

I: www.instagram.com/LittleVillageHQ

T: www.twitter.com/LittleVillageHQ

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1533793/Pampers_Factory.jpg