In Russia, children's items are rented out to increase the birth rate

Sixteen regions of Russia have submitted 144 applications to purchase children's goods through the state procurement portal, reports "Vyorstka". The primary essential items — strollers, cribs, playpens, high chairs, and booster seats — are provided for free temporary use at rental points. These measures aim to encourage the birth rate.

Assistance is intended for citizens in the following categories: student mothers with children, large families, low-income individuals, families with a disabled child, and families of individuals who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. The total value of the contracts will exceed 143 million rubles. The price of each lot depends on the volume of the purchased products, ranging from several thousand rubles to 30 million rubles.

The regions participating in the program include Rostov, Saratov, Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Kirov, Vologda, Tula, Oryol, Kursk, Leningrad, Kaliningrad, Magadan regions, Stavropol Krai, and the republics of Mari El, Chuvashia, and North Ossetia. Each region has established its own pricing criteria. For example, in Rostov-on-Don, a children's crib is planned to be purchased for 17,500 rubles, while in North Ossetia, it is planned for 8,000 rubles.

The terms of use for the rented children's items also vary by region. In Vologda, strollers and high chairs are rented for one year, while in Chuvashia, they are rented for six months. In Rostov region, three items can be taken for any duration.

The first tenders were announced in December 2024, but the main orders were placed in March 2025, after the government approved the "Strategy for Implementing Family and Demographic Policy, Supporting Large Families." Once the document was officially adopted, the process of purchasing children's products began based on 130 applications. The initiative to establish rental points was adopted as part of measures to improve the demographic situation in the country.

According to Rostat, only 1.2 million children were born in the country in 2024 — a decrease of 3.4 percent compared to the previous year. This is the lowest figure since 1999. If we calculate based on the statistics of the 1990s, excluding data from Chechnya and annexed Crimea, this represents the lowest birth rate in the last 200 years.

Photo: mskagency.ru