Britain's tweenie generation has more cash to spend than any other ten to 13-year-olds in western Europe, says a new report.
It claims family breakups and "guilt" among parents who work has fuelled a handout culture.
The average UK ten to 13-year-old - described in the report by market analysts Datamonitor as "tweenagers" - gets £7.58 a week from pocket money and odd jobs. This compares with an average in western Europe of £4.79.
According to the report there are 2.79 million tweenagers in the UK, although with a declining birth rate this is predicted to fall to 2.76 million by 2007.
While the average spending money for a UK tweenager had risen from £4.21 a week in 1997, the rate is expected to slow within five years.
Piers Berezai, author of the report, said: "Many parents are tightening their belts in the current economic environment and their concerns are growing about the amount of advertising and marketing to children and the effects of over-indulging youths."
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