Baby Trends 2015: Parents Will Spend More Than $27 Billion On Diapers, Nielsen Says

Every new parent quickly realizes just how much formula, baby food and diapers cost. Nielsen crunched the numbers on how much will be spent on these items globally in 2015 and it's a staggering amount. Parents are expected to spend more than $27 billion on diapers this year while food and formula sales may hit $35 billion.

The Nielsen Global Baby Care Survey included participants from 60 countries and cereal, nutrition and formula data from 23 countries. For 2014, diaper sales grew in every region, with Latin America's 20.3 percent year-over-year growth topping the list. In terms of where sales occurred, North America led the way with 32 percent, followed by Europe (28 percent) and Asia-Pacific (20 percent).

As Nielsen notes, the higher birthrate in developing markets is driving sales. More people living in cities, women returning to work and the rise of the middle class have led parents to place a premium on formula and prepared food. For 2014, Nielsen says North America and Europe spent the most on baby food (87 percent) and formula (66 percent), but developing markets showed the biggest growth year-over-year [2013 to 2014]. Africa and the Middle East saw the highest growth at 4 percent, compared to a 0.1 percent increase in Europe and a 0.1 percent decrease in North America for the same period.

Glass is passe, according to Nielsen. While traditional plastic and glass packaging still dominate, pouches and packing with built-in sipping devices have seen massive growth, with a 28 percent rise between December 2013 and December 2014. Pouch sales were up an impressive 916 percent in Ukraine, 528 percent in Brazil and 316 percent in Portugal. The U.S. was already in love with pouches: They were the only food/formula packaging that saw growth, with a 7 percent increase in sales compared to a 2 percent decrease in sales for glass and plastic packages.

Organic food is also having a moment as more parents are looking for ways to pamper and take care of their infants. Parents spent more than $400 million on organic baby food; a $100 million increase from 2012.

Technology is also homing in on toddlers. From smart bottles to high-tech seats, there's a device out there, or soon to be out there, for your little bundle of joy.