Furnishings and Accessories for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers Expected to Stroll into $13 Billion by 2012

NEW YORK, May. 09 /PRNewswire/ --

NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's culture of pampering our children starts in their early years. Societal trends have pushed parents to purchase top-notch cribs, strollers, car seats and bedding. According to U.S. Market for Infant, Toddler and Preschooler Furnishings and Accessories, a new report from Packaged Facts, sales of home furnishings and accessories for use by children through age 5 exceeded $9.8 billion in 2007, fueled by this "premium" trend.

Thanks to higher live birth rates, a trend toward upscale baby goods and new product development, the ITP home furnishings and accessories market is expected to surpass $13 billion in 2012. The upscale stroller phenomenon is the featured "hook" right now, with the segment probably the biggest contributor to market dollar growth.

Retailers in mainstream channels have seen the potential in ITP products and are entering the fray via private or controlled labels or exclusive deals with existing brands or designers. Target has gotten into the act, aligning with DwellStudio, while Gap, Inc. has introduced Baby Gap Home, a collection offering a wide selection of ITP gear, including Quinny, Maclaren, and Peg Perego strollers, plus Quinny car seats.

"With a trend toward upscaling on one hand and a looming recession on the other, both established and start-up marketers are scrambling to roll out mid-to-upper-mid-tier brands that have style and high-tech features rivaling upscale brands," said Cathy Minkler, Editor of Packaged Facts. "Bugaboo, for example, introduced the Bugaboo Bee stroller in autumn 2007, listing it at $530, or roughly $200-$500 less than the more exalted Bugaboo models."

U.S. Market for Infant, Toddler and Preschooler Furnishings and Accessories provides an in-depth analysis of the current and future infant to 5-year-old market, with extensive analysis of trends driving growth. The report also examines distribution, retail, advertising and new product trends and offers competitive profiles of industry leaders. For further information on this report from Packaged Facts visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Infant-Toddler-Preschool-1676512/

Packaged Facts publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer industries, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet, and financial products. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. For more information visit http://www.packagedfacts.com, or contact Jenn Tekin at 240-747-3015 or jtekin@marketresearch.com.