Perception of Bank Account Offers by Generation Alpha – the Perspective of the Local Polish Market

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the attitudes of Generation Alpha – the youngest age cohort, born after 2010 – towards banking services, with a particular focus on cooperative banking. While the literature is dominated by analysis of the financial behavior of Generations X, Y and Z, knowledge of Generation Alpha’s preferences and expectations remains limited. The empirical study was conducted in two elementary schools in Brodnica, covering a sample of 128 students aged 11–15. The results indicate that for young respondents, the most important features of a bank account are the low cost of the account, the opinion of the family and the possibility of additional services (such as card personalization). The analysis also showed significant differences in preferences by gender, age and place of residence. In addition, despite their young age, a significant proportion of the respondents already have a bank account – including accounts at cooperative banks – which may indicate their growing role in the financial services sector. The results may provide an important rationale for banks, especially cooperative banks, to design a more tailored and friendly offer for the youngest users of financial services.