Britain's biggest teachers union has condemned leading supermarkets for putting "inappropriate" pressure on children to grow up too fast.
The National Union of Teachers said it was "wrong" that Tesco and Asda were targeting youngsters with products including lace lingerie and pole dancing kits.
The union was launching a report into the commercialisation of childhood at its annual conference in Harrogate.
NUT General Secretary Steve Sinnott told BBC's Radio Four's Today programme: "This sort of thing is really inappropriate for youngsters. Society is changing, some of it for the better, some not.
"It is wrong to exploit youngsters in this particular way and to target these products.
"Childhood should be about enjoyment and education."
He singled out Tesco for marketing a pole dancing kit to children and Asda for selling black and pink lace lingerie "including push up bras for nine-year-olds".
Such marketing "in effect shortens their childhood, " Mr Sinnott said.
