It used to be easy: kids could pick up almost anything without a second thought. But that carefree era is changing fast—eight new laws now shape what minors can legally purchase or access, from anti-aging creams to mobile apps. Understanding these shifts helps parents stay compliant and protect youth from risky or inappropriate buys. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing and why these new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store matter for families today.
1. California Bans Minors From Buying Anti-Aging Products
California is considering a law to prohibit minors under 18 from purchasing anti-aging skincare—like retinol or vitamin C—without verified age checks or ID. The intention is to combat societal pressures and beauty standards pushing kids toward early cosmetic use. While enforcement remains a challenge, the law sends a significant message: certain ingredients are not for young skin. Retailers would need to implement age verification at checkout. This marks a notable shift in how new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store reach into skincare aisles.
2. SNAP Restrictions on Sugary Foods in Select States
Starting in early 2026, 12 states—including Florida, Texas, and Colorado—will prohibit SNAP (food stamp) cards from paying for sugary drinks, candy, and processed snacks. The aim is to encourage healthier eating by limiting kids’ access to junk foods at the point of sale. This change directly affects what families using SNAP benefits can buy for their children. Stores will need to update checkout systems to differentiate restricted items. It’s a clear example of new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store, acting at the point of consumption.
3. Texas and Utah Force App Age Checks for Purchases
In a major shift for digital shopping, Texas—joined by Utah—now requires Google and Apple to verify users’ ages and get parental approval before minors download or purchase apps. The laws will go into effect soon and impact millions of kids’ app access across both states. App stores must adapt their systems to restrict purchases and downloads by age. That means what was once a free-for-all in digital stores is now regulated. This adds another layer to new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store, including virtual storefronts.
4. New York Curbs Addictive Feeds and Targeted Ads
New York’s Safe for Kids Act now stops social apps from pushing algorithmic feeds to minors without parental consent, including limiting late-night notifications. A companion law also bans the collection or sale of minors’ personal data without explicit consent. Though not a direct point-of-sale restriction, these laws affect what kids “buy” in terms of attention and time spent on content. Platforms must comply or face penalties up to $5,000 per violation. This signals how new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store increasingly include digital behaviors.
5. Nebraska Tackles Harmful Design in Kids’ Apps
Nebraska’s new Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act requires social platforms to offer chronological feeds, limit notifications during school hours, and enforce privacy by default for child accounts—starting in 2026. The law targets addictive interfaces rather than products—but influences what kids consume online, including in-app purchases. Platforms must also allow parents to control time usage and recommendations. Violation fines can reach $50,000, showing how serious regulators are about protecting youth. This modern example aligns with new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store, now extending into how they consume digital goods.
6. KOSA Sets Industry Duty for Online Safety
The U.S. Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which would impose a “duty of care” on platforms to protect minors from harmful content and addictions, and regulate access to purchases, privacy, and communication. If enacted, platforms must default minors’ accounts to high privacy, block ads targeting kids, and give parents oversight tools. While still federal legislation, KOSA represents a shift in how new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store encompass the digital marketplace. It shows momentum toward nationwide teen purchase protections in the online sphere.
7. COPPA Rule Overhaul Adds Parental Safeguards
The FTC has strengthened the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), expanding what counts as personal information—like biometric data—and requiring clearer parental consent sign-off before user purchases or data use. Service providers must limit how long they retain kids’ personal info and gain consent before launching in-app purchases. This ensures platforms can’t quietly monetize minors. Even if not a storefront law, it adds another layer of new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store—especially online goods. Transparency and parental control are now required, not optional.
8. Influencer Laws Bar Sales Through Kid Creators
New youth-influencer laws in Illinois and Minnesota impact minors’ ability to profit from content—limiting their ability to enter agreements without protections or preventing content removal requests. While not a traditional store scenario, influencer marketing often overlaps with branded merchandise and purchases. Now, kids under a certain age are restricted from engaging in content creation that promotes goods. This indirectly affects what minors can buy—or sell—online through peer marketing. It’s part of the evolving landscape of new laws affecting what kids can buy at the store in digital commerce.
The Future of Kid-Safe Buying Is Both Physical and Digital
These eight laws show a clear trend: restrictions on what minors can buy aren’t limited to candy aisles anymore. From skincare counters to app stores, regulators are acting to protect health, privacy, and attention. Many of these laws require system changes at checkout—whether physical or virtual—and enforcement varies by state. As a result, parents must stay informed to guide kids through an increasingly regulated consumer world. The future of safe buying is hands-on—for parents, retailers, and platforms alike.
Which of these new restrictions surprised you the most—and what would you like to see regulated next? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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