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Buggy manufacturers launch newer models every year and even update their popular existing models.
Looking to buy a new pushchair, stroller or pram this year? Here are some of the biggest pushchair features and trends that are likely to be popular in the coming year.
Sustainable pushchairs and accessories
More manufacturers are using recycled materials and sustainable fabrics. You should also consider repairing a stroller rather than disposing of a broken pushchair if you want to do your bit for the planet.
Strollers for Bigger Babies
Lots of manufacturers are now increasing the weight capacity of their strollers. For example, the new Uppababy Vista V2 can now take 22kg (kids around five years old); the older version had a capacity of 15kg (kids around three years old).
Strollers with Bigger Baskets
Strollers are now coming with bigger sized shopping baskets.
Today, Baby strollers and prams are popular products, available to parents, that are used to carry babies. There are different types of strollers and prams depending upon the weight and age of babies.
India, China and Russia are witnessing robust demands for baby care products and are expected to be the next destinations for all major global players in the Global Baby Stroller and Pram market. E-commerce and several online shopping websites have only made it easier to buy these products, and has increased the demand for baby strollers and prams, leading to the growth of the Global Baby Stroller and Pram market.
With government laws enforcing use of baby car seats, parents are increasingly considering the combined usage of baby strollers and baby car seats, which is not only convenient but also economic.
Buyers want products that can carry two babies, and also have provision to store goods such as milk bottles, diapers, or other baby accessories.
Key vendors in the Global Baby Stroller and Pram market inlcude Bugaboo, Chicco, Bob, Britax, Evenflo and other Kids Brand.
Related: Complete Stroller buying guide
Sustainability, an important factor for consumers Nowadays
Stroller manufacturers are aware of the importance that consumers place on sustainability nowadays.
That is the reason why many stroller brands are striving to reduce their environmental impact from their business operations. While some manufacturers use recycled parts for their strollers, others ensure longevity so that there is no need to replace a stroller.
Brands such as Bugaboo design their strollers so that they last for years. They make the best possible strollers, using the best suppliers and the best materials so that parents and children can use them with pleasure every day. This way, their products can be used for multiple children, even multiple generations.
They want their strollers to be easy to maintain and repair, and that is why they offer a wide range of service parts, even for their older models.
They also encourage parents to buy a second-hand stroller, as they believe that an existing product is less harmful to the environment than buying a new product.
Here are some more features used by stroller manufacturers to support sustainability.
Most stroller brands provide parents with the opportunity to update their stroller using new fabrics or new wheels.
More stroller models do not use screws instead of rivets as it makes repairing and replacing parts easier.
Manufacturers are recycling content in fabrics and even in some of their plastic parts.
They are using plastics with a significantly lower environmental impact.
Use of recycled PET bottles in fabrics (for certain collections)
Strollers are changing their stroller design so that most of the strollers can be recycled after use.
Baby Gear and Fashion Show
Baby gear companies are realizing the importance of Fashion Shows to showcase baby gear & products. Several fashion shows are held nowadays that gather high-end international brands, beautiful models, amazing food, music, art, French elegance and stylish parents.
Such fashion shows are usually held at picturesque locations, where you get a perfect combination of high-end fashion and luxurious outing.
The purpose of such shows is to present a unique perspective on parenthood paired with fashion. It basically tells parents that they don’t have to compromise between being a parent and looking fashionable.
US China trade war could cause stroller prices to rise
United States’ trade war with China will affect a lot of businesses, and even those who buy things. Prices of baby products such as strollers are likely to rise, and by as much as 20 percent, thanks to Trump’s suggested tariffs.
Strollers are already one of the most expensive items that parents buy when they welcome a new baby. Stroller prices start at a few hundred dollars and go well over thousand dollars, depending on the quality and the bundled accessories.
Evenflo CEO Jon Chamberlain said their company was looking for some form of “relief” on stroller tariffs. “You’re looking at a 25 percent tariff as is proposed right now. So those are on component parts and sometimes on the full product itself. So you’d be looking at high double digits, the 15 percent to 20 percent range.”
“It would be cost-prohibitive to move stroller manufacturing out of the line of tariff fire. To put it in place in the Americas, or Mexico even, is very capital intensive. The payback really isn’t there,” added Chamberlain.
If most parents already feeling the pinch when purchasing a new stroller, these new tariffs could cause them to opt for cheaper options which may not necessarily suit their requirements, which could cause them more frustrations later on.
Also, some manufacturers may cut corners to offset the additional cost of tariffs and keep their products at current prices. They might do so by opting to use lesser quality materials (like cheaper metals) or less materials per unit (like stroller padding). This would both lessen the quality of the products while also making them less safe to use.
Another concern is that some companies may move production abroad to factories that do not have the experience of producing baby and children’s products that adhere to the newest safety standards, or may not test the products thoroughly. Parents who are already struggling to make ends meet will be “forced to use hand-me-down products that may not meet the latest safety standards.
The new higher prices could factor into parents’ decisions whether to buy new or use old. These products may be missing warning labels or usage instructions and their quality may have been compromised during storage or re-assembly. Even slightly damaged strollers can pose a real threat to children if they have broken or sharp edges.
Joseph Shamie, President of Delta Children, said that the company shares this concern, but it will “never make compromises when it comes to safety, even if it means losing business and market share to companies or brands who are not as safety conscious as we are.”
StrollerBoards is a family managed website with me (Ben) and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing baby travel gear. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical solutions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
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