Aging Populations: Changing Food & Beverage Needs And Behaviors Of Senior Consumers

• Detailed insights and analysis documenting the rise in the Senior population and how this differs on a regional basis
• In-depth and comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data covering the changing make up of populations, their attitudes and behaviors
• Detailed insights and analysis on the factors influencing Seniors' behavior in the field of food and non-alcoholic drinks
• Strategic conclusions and actionable recommendations on food and drink targeting the Senior audience

• Gain an understanding of Seniors' specific preferences and concerns in the field of food and drinks
• Use the latest evidence based insights to launch products, so that they are successfully positioned to meet the specific needs of Seniors
• Access a compelling blend of quantitative and qualitative data illustrating consumer attitudes and market developments

Overview

Catalyst

Summary

Table of Contents

Table of figures

Table of tables

THE FUTURE DECODED

INTRODUCTION: Health is an important purchase criterion in food and drinks categories for all consumers

TREND: The population aged 50 plus is expected to continue expanding

Seniors are an important group due to their sheer number

Seniors account for a large proportion of US and European society

Growth in the Seniors population in Asia Pacific and other emerging markets is commercially appealing

Rising median age confirms the aging of society

Rising life expectancy, declining mortality rate and decreasing fertility rate are the main contributors

The number of Seniors and their market potential cannot be ignored

Key takeouts and implications: the world population is getting older.

TREND: The Senior population grouping consists of several different sub-cohorts

The US: differences among the GI generation, silent generation and baby boomers need to be recognized

Baby boomers entering the 50-plus cohort could bring fundamental change to how 'aging' is defined

Japan: the dankai generation are re-defining the meaning of otona (adult)

Beyond demographic groups: understanding where the generations are from is the key to communication

Key takeouts and implications: consumers in the 50-plus cohort are not all the same.

TREND: Seniors' financial status heavily influences their purchasing behavior

Seniors are well attuned to the premiumization philosophy of 'less but better'

Aging population and the impact on wealth: grow old and rich, or old and poor?

The financial status of the 50-plus cohort is affected by their family stage

The recessionary environment is a cause for concern among the 50-plus population

The profitability of the Senior consumer is now a key issue

The housing market downturn is problematic for Seniors

Seniors have cut the frequency with which they trade up in food and drinks

The alcoholic drinks market has seen little premiumization in 2008 with Seniors greatly affected

Seniors' up-trading is reasonably robust in personal care categories

Seniors may change certain aspects of their lifestyles less than younger adults in the current economic environment

Key takeouts and implications: the purchasing power of the 50-plus age cohort is varied.

INSIGHT: Convenience matters to Seniors, but less so than to younger adults

Seniors can be described as time maximizers

Ready meals are more popular with younger adult consumers

Seniors are more likely to cook using both convenient and slow-cooking methods

Canned food offers long shelf-life convenience but consumption is low among Seniors

Frozen food is one of the most consumed convenience food types among Senior consumers

Seniors' adherence to traditional mealtimes limits the extent of their convenience needs

Seniors seek a balance between health and convenience needs

Key takeouts and implications: meeting Seniors' convenience needs is a complex and difficult task

INSIGHT: Heart health is a major concern for Senior consumers

Seniors use oils and fats more extensively in the US and Europe, but sparingly in Asia Pacific

Seniors care about both the amount and types of fat they consume

Seniors can benefit from 'good' fats in other ways

Key takeouts and implications: Heart health is a major concern for Seniors as the prevalence of coronary disease increases with age.

INSIGHT: Meat and protein intake is a moderately important issue for Seniors

Senior consumption of meat protein is mixed across regions of the world

Key takeouts and implications: Seniors' traditional approach to meat, as a part of, but not the dominant component of a meal, may be responsible for great longevity in many countries, as several studies have highlighted

INSIGHT: Salt is an issue for all consumers, especially so for Seniors

Attention to dietary salt levels increases with age

Younger consumers are becoming more pro-active in addressing the issue of salt intake

Seniors currently have a low consumption of savory snacks

Key takeouts and implications: salt is a hot topic for Senior consumers in their quest to protect their health

INSIGHT: Sugar consumption is a high level concern for Seniors

Health threats more common in later life make sugar intake one of the greatest dietary concerns for older consumers

The Glycemic Index appears of little interest to Seniors, or consumers of any age

Senior's say they have done the most to reduce sugar in their diet in 2008

Seniors' reduction in sugar intake will affect the carbonates and confectionery categories most

Confectionery is the product category most reliant on sugar but has low consumption among Seniors

Key takeouts and implications: sugar content is an issue for many consumers, as many of its negative aspects related to over-consumption are visibly affecting consumers' health

INSIGHT: Fiber intake can be of benefit to Seniors digestive and general health

Wholegrains are the latest buzzword in nutrition

Seniors in Western Europe consume high amounts of bakery and cereal products

Key takeouts and implications: dietary fiber appears to be returning towards the top of the dietary agenda for consumers and producers alike

INSIGHT: Added fortifying ingredients appear to have little appeal for Seniors

Seniors are more likely to have included Omega oils in their diet than other added ingredients

Key takeouts and implications: Seniors seem to prefer naturally healthy foods rather than fortified versions

INSIGHT: Bone health has a major impact on personal mobility for Seniors

Dietary changes may help Seniors, but to some degree may be a case of 'too little, too late'

Key takeouts and implications: Bone health has practical implications for Seniors' personal mobility

INSIGHT: Immune system function is vital for Seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle

Key takeouts and implications: Immune system function gets attention but motivates little action

INSIGHT: Hydration has many benefits for Seniors

Relative consumption of bottled water is low among Seniors

Fruit juices are popular with many Seniors

Hot drinks are popular beverages among many Seniors

Key takeouts and implications: hydration can have many beneficial effects for Seniors.

INSIGHT: Portion control is an issue of interest for some Seniors

Seniors appear to have less use for nutritional labels

Key takeouts and implications: portion control still matters to health-conscious Seniors

INSIGHT: Trying new things matters less to Seniors

Half of Seniors attribute importance to trying new things but they lag behind younger adults

Seniors show a much greater attitude-behavior gap in putting their interests in experimentation into practice

Exotic flavors appeal less to Seniors despite the need for heightened taste sensation with age

Marketplace clutter is less of an issue to Seniors

Key takeouts and implications: encouraging Seniors to try new things is problematic

ACTION POINTS

ACTION: Increase fiber content to aid digestion and combat other health concerns

Seek to exploit opportunities in the field of aiding Seniors' digestion

Add soluble fiber to help protect against other health concerns

ACTION: Reduce and remove 'bad' fats

ACTION: Help Seniors to protect their bones

ACTION: Reduce salt while maintaining taste

ACTION: Use natural flavoring to reduce added sugar

ACTION: Cater for Seniors' mental as well as physical health

ACTION: Provide viable healthy hydration alternatives to water

APPENDIX

Definitions

Methodology

Further reading and references

Ask the analyst

Datamonitor consulting

Disclaimer

List of Tables

Table 1: Senior population (m) by country, US & Europe, 2002-2012

Table 2: Senior population (m) by country, Asia Pacific and emerging markets, 2002-2012

Table 3: Median age of world population across countries, 2002-2012

Table 4: Life expectancy, mortality rate and fertility rate across 18 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific, 1990-2006

Table 5: Consumer survey: frequency of cooking an evening meal at home from scratch, by age group, Global, 2008

Table 6: Consumer survey: frequency of preparing a main meal at home that predominantly involves microwaving, by age group, Global, 2008

Table 7: Consumer survey: frequency of preparing a main meal at home involving roast or slow cooking, global, 2008

Table 8: Number of skipped breakfast occasions per capita, by age group, Europe, US, Australia, and New Zealand, 2007

Table 9: Number of skipped lunch occasions per capita, by age group, Europe, US, Australia, and New Zealand, 2007

Table 10: Number of skipped dinner occasions per capita, by age group, Europe, US, Australia and New Zealand, 2007

Table 11: Consumer survey: the degree of attention paid to heart health, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by age

List of Figures

Figure 1: Datamonitor Consumer Survey 2008: Senior consumers are more likely to believe that diet and nutrition is a more important driver of wellness than physical exercise

Figure 2: Baby boomers' lack of technophobia has contributed to the success of home entertainment technologies

Figure 3: Apple's iPod is also popular among baby boomers

Figure 4: Media, including websites and magazines, have turned their attention to the dankai generation and senior population in Japan

Figure 5: Mortgage affordability and smaller subsequent generations are now affecting Seniors

Figure 6: Seniors have traded up less than Young Adults in 2008

Figure 7: Seniors have been particularly slow to trade up in the on-trade in 2008

Figure 8: All consumers, including Seniors, have been keener to trade up when drinking at home in 2008

Figure 9: Personal care has been one of the markets that has most commonly experienced up-trading in 2008, but Seniors have lagged behind

Figure 10: Seniors felt less concerned by economic downturn in the first half of 2008

Figure 11: Ready meals are under-consumed by Seniors

Figure 12: Canned food is most popular among in the mixed Pre-Senior and Early Senior group

Figure 13: Frozen food is universally popular among Seniors

Figure 14: Seniors have done less to seek out food and drink products that combine health and convenience than younger adults in 2008

Figure 15: Heart health is the dietary health concern to which seniors pay the greatest amount of attention.

Figure 16: Oils and fats are used sparingly by Seniors aged above 55

Figure 17: Fat consumption is a concern for Seniors

Figure 18: Protein consumption is a less important dietary consideration for Seniors

Figure 19: Seniors show low level concern for the types of protein in their diet

Figure 20: Meat, fish and poultry consumption is strong among Seniors in Western Europe

Figure 21: The perceived importance of salt in the diet increases with age

Figure 22: Salt has been an important Senior dietary issue for some years

Figure 23: A small proportion of Seniors has reduced salt and sodium consumption in 2008

Figure 24: Seniors 'over-consume' savory snacks in relatively few countries or Senior age groups

Figure 25: Seniors care about the amount and types of sugar they consume

Figure 26: Interest in the glycemic index remains low among Seniors

Figure 27: Seniors are slightly more likely to have reduced sugar intake in 2008 compared to younger age groups

Figure 28: Carbonates are not popular with Seniors

Figure 29: Confectionery consumption by Seniors is highest in Europe and the US and among younger Seniors

Figure 30: Dietary fiber is an important issue for older Seniors in particular

Figure 31: Increases in dietary fiber intake are spread across age groups including later lifestage Seniors

Figure 32: Wholegrain is a key health trend innovation in food and drink

Figure 33: Consumption of wholegrains is popular with Seniors

Figure 34: Seniors have incorporated more wholegrains into their diet in 2008 but younger age groups have shown greater interest

Figure 35: Bakery and cereals consumption is high in the established markets of Western Europe

Figure 36: Seniors show a low take-up rate of fortified food and drinks in 2008

Figure 37: Seniors appear to be less interested in anti-oxidant-rich food and drinks

Figure 38: Omega oils are more compelling additions to their diet for Seniors than other added ingredients

Figure 39: Bone health becomes a more important issue with age

Figure 40: Dairy food consumption is high among Seniors in many nations

Figure 41: Immune system is something of great importance to Seniors

Figure 42: Seniors show little interest in products touted as 'immune system boosting'

Figure 43: Staying hydrated is key for Seniors

Figure 44: Bottled water consumption s low among Seniors

Figure 45: Seniors over-consume juices slightly in Western Europe

Figure 46: Coffee consumption by Seniors is particularly high in Japan

Figure 47: Tea is still a Seniors' favorite

Figure 48: Other hot drinks are also popular with Seniors

Figure 49: Seniors are moderately interested in controlling portion size

Figure 50: Seniors are less likely to have increased their usage of nutrition labels in 2008

Figure 51: Novelty and excitement are more important to Young Adults than Seniors

Figure 52: Trying new things is less appealing in relation to food and drinks for consumers of all ages

Figure 53: Products marketed as traditional appeal to all, not just Seniors

Figure 54: Choice profusion is less of a problem for Seniors

Figure 55: Seniors are least likely to actively look for new products when grocery shopping

Figure 56: Seniors look for new drinks products even less than new foods

Figure 57: Added fiber is an important selling point in many categories and for many Seniors

Figure 58: Campbell's V8 actively targets the over 50 consumer

Figure 59: Convenient aids to digestive transit have high practical value

Figure 60: Enhanced fiber-rich products are appearing in a wide variety of product categories

Figure 61: Premium products are now excluding trans fats

Figure 62: Dairy products are well-placed to help maintain Senior bone health

Figure 63: Many products have already reduced sodium content in response to public health concerns

Figure 64: Convenience and indulgence products can use natural flavoring other than sugar to boost flavor

Figure 65: Brain enhancing product may rise to prominence

Figure 66: Numerous suitable hydration alternatives are available for Seniors