In an article by eMarketer earlier this week, they discuss a new study that found that grandparents are some of the biggest spenders in this current economy. There is some interesting data in their article and is definitely worth the read. They go on to say that although this partly to due with the poor economy, it is exposing them to more digital media and a savvy audience is good for marketers. Here is a except from the article:

Grandparents are a large and influential consumer segment

Grandparents are a powerful force in the US economy. According to Nielsen, grandparent households spend 4.4% more each year than all other households. And, it’s no secret they love to spend on their grandkids. Almost 40% of grandparents in the Nielsen data said they provided support such as clothing or food for their grandchildren. During the next few years, grandparents are set to become an even more powerful consumer segment. Nielsen reports the population of 69.6 million grandparents currently in the US will rise 11% by 2015.

One effect of the recession has been a rise in the number of grandparents living with younger family members. According to a March 2010 Pew Research Center study, the number of Americans living in multigenerational households rose to 49 million in 2008, representing 16.1% of the population. Those are households with at least two adult generations or grandparents and another generation. This trend had been in motion ever since the proportion of multigenerational households hit a low of 12% in 1980, though economic conditions have certainly contributed to recent rises.

Read the full article here on eMarketer then be sure to come back and share your thoughts with us.