These product seals score points in the target group of parents

When making purchasing decisions, customers place great value on transparency and trust - this applies across all industries. Especially when product quality is difficult for buyers to assess, seals serve as an important orientation and decision-making aid and can have a positive influence on purchasing decisions. This is confirmed by the "Gütesiegel-Monitor 2023", which found that the likelihood of making a purchase increases by five percent when a product is labeled with a seal - and half of those surveyed agreed with the statement that "a product with a seal is better than one without a seal".

When it comes to products that (expectant) parents use to care for, warm, transport or feed their baby, the need for safety and the highest product quality can hardly be overestimated. "I believe that the customers in our industry are more sensitive than average in this respect," says Dr. Alessandro Zanini, Chairman of the BDKH. And Oliver Mecky, CEO of Allison GmbH, adds: "We have the impression that parents are making much more conscious decisions today. Especially immediately after birth, they want products that contain absolutely no harmful substances and are also produced sustainably."

Only the best for the little ones! But in the product jungle of baby and toddler equipment, it is sometimes not so easy to find your way around. Seals can provide orientation, especially for all products that have to do with the safety or health of babies. We can therefore assume that in the sensitive target group of parents, the relevant seals are more important than in the collective view of all sectors.

The assessments of industry insiders show a clear trend: in the hardware sector - especially when it comes to mobility in infant carriers, child car seats and baby carriages - the classic safety test seals are ahead: "Direct customer contact shows us repeatedly that all seals score points with parents and that they even actively ask for them. Most importantly, a "very good" to "good" result from the ADAC and/or Stiftung Warentest.", emphasizes Oliver Mecky. Dr. Alessandro Zanini from the BDKH also shares this assessment, highlighting the ADAC seal in particular with its Europe-wide significance.

And what about textiles? Here it is clear that consumers attach great importance to the absence of harmful substances and sustainability. The importance of these features is so significant that the corresponding seals, for example from Öko-Tex or Ökotest, are almost taken for granted, as Corinna Links, Managing Director of Kindsgut, describes it: "Öko-Tex and similar seals that confirm high quality, sustainable materials and the fair manufacture of a product are taken for granted by parents. They are therefore very important but are no longer a unique selling point – but rather the important and correct basis."

The question of the origin and quality of the materials used is also becoming increasingly important for baby carriages, infant carriers, etc. Oliver Mecky has observed that parents are making increasingly conscious decisions when it comes to hardware: "Parents (...) are questioning things more. That's why they also want to know where the materials we use in our products come from and whether they contain toxic chemicals. In this respect, quality seals such as Öko-Tex and Ökotest are a purchasing criterion that is becoming significantly more important."

So is the motto "Good seal, good product?" There is no doubt that good and very good test results from established institutes can have a positive influence on the perception of the product and ultimately also on the likelihood of purchase. However, Daniela Ortner from Träumeland points out: "In our experience, recommendations from friends, family or midwives enjoy even more recognition in the baby and toddler sector than certain seals. These personal recommendations are often very important and have a significant influence on the purchasing decision."

And when the two come together? In recent years, Hebammen-testen.de has established itself as a portal that has products tested by certified midwives and awards a seal after successful testing. It is therefore hardly surprising that this seal recently achieved impressive results in a survey : For 84 % of parents surveyed, the seal of recommendation from Hebammen-testen.de is an important aid when making purchasing decisions and 75 % of all parents surveyed have already purchased products based on this seal.

The expertise of midwives is also the deciding factor in the Midwives' Choice Awards , which the Kind + Jugend trade fair will be presenting for the second time in 2024 in cooperation with Hebammen-testen.de. Stay tuned which products will stand up to the trained midwives' eyes this year and receive an award from the jury!

Infos Midwives‘ Choice Award: https://www.kindundjugend.de/events/events-vor-ort/innovation-award/