Elders Want to Know What They Are Eating
Older consumers want more information about the health benefits of various
foods, the types of food that fit their dietary restrictions and what food safety
practices are being carried out, according to a research report from International
Dairy*Deli*Bakery Association’s (IDDBA), Boomers and Beyond: Marketing Food
to the Over-Fifties.
Eighty-three percent of the 50-year-old plus population agree that supermarkets understand their needs. Most of these consumers live in one- or two-person households. They want the option to buy smaller portions, and packaging that is easy to read, easy to open, re-sealable, spill-proof and environmentally friendly.
Of the 15 services the research survey asked about, the three most important
to respondents were large overhead signs, senior citizen discounts and parking.
On the second tier of importance were places to sit and rest throughout the
store, electric sit-in shopping carts, a pharmacy and breaks in the middle of
the aisles so that they don’t have to walk down the entire aisle.
Moderator Comment: Are retailers already addressing
the demands of older consumers identified in IDDBA’s research? What areas are
in greatest need of improvement?
Newspapers would appear to the major beneficiary of the
IDDBA’s findings. Nearly two-thirds of older consumers rely on newspaper ads
for making food-purchasing decisions. Add in the need for larger type (translates
to more ad pages) and do the math. Cha-ching. [George
Anderson – Moderator]
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