When youngsters are born, family and well wishers often invest in special gifts to mark the occasion and wooden money boxes are a popular option. Given current trends in the UK, demand for products like this may be particularly high.
It seems as though the country is undergoing a baby boom. According to figures quoted by the Daily Mail, women in Britain are now likely to have an average of just under two children. This level is exceeded in only two of 27 European Union nations, namely Ireland and France. Women in these countries have an average of 2.07 and 2.03 respectively.
The publication noted that a decade ago, Britain was “firmly in the middle of the European table”.
It claimed that high fertility rates among migrants have contributed to the trend. Among the countries that Britain now lies ahead of in terms of birth rate are Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Malta, Holland and Finland.
Meanwhile, the news source went on to note that just over 723,000 babies were born in England and Wales in 2010. This was up from fewer than 600,000 in 2000. The number of children each woman has increased to its current rate of 1.98 from 1.64 12 years ago.
The ONS stated that the rises may be connected with “government policy and the economic climate indirectly influencing individuals’ decisions around childbearing and therefore affecting the number of births”.
However, it added: “The combined effect of multiple government policies and the changing economic climate does not have a clear impact on fertility in a particular direction.”
These days, it is straightforward for consumers to source novelty money boxes and other gifts for babies and many people opt to head online to do so. This can make the process quicker and more convenient, and it means consumers have access to a broad selection of products.