The Maturing Consumer

What retailers and manufacturers need to know about their older customers

The fastest-growing age group worldwide in this century will be people over the age of 60. What must retailers and manufacturers know to adapt to this older consumer group? In the first-ever international survey of consumers over the age of 60, A.T. Kearney interviewed 3,000 people in 23 countries to find out what mature consumers want. The short answer: prices and labels they can read, packaging they can open, and more places to sit down in stores.

In 1998, the number of people over age 60 overtook those under age 15 in the G7 (developed) countries. Based on current worldwide demographic trajectories, in five years, there will be more people over the age of 60 than under 5; in 30 years, there will be more people over 60 than under 16. When today's newborn babies reach college age in 2030, 36 percent of Germans, 30 percent of the French, 22 percent of Americans and even 30 percent of Chinese will be older than 60. Longevity is not just a rich-world phenomenon.

What do retailers and manufacturers need to know about their older customers?

• The cult of youth is over. For the past 60 years, marketing and advertising strategies and much of our popular culture have been driven by the cult of youth. That made sense in the 1960s, when 37 percent of the world population was under 15, but it is no longer the case. The under-15 age group now represents 26 percent of the global population and will head down to 20 percent by 2050. Marketing strategies will need a re-think.
• Mature consumers have power. There is power in cash and numbers, and mature consumers have both. Individuals over the age of 50 own 80 percent of U.S. financial assets and are responsible for 50 percent of discretionary income. Last year, they spent $87 billion on new cars, compared to $70 billion spent by those under the age of 50. Worldwide, consumers age 60 and older spent more than $8 trillion in 2010; by the end of this decade, they will be spending $15 trillion.
• The nature of aging has changed. People are active and healthy well into their 70s and 80s. They travel abroad, dine out and spend more as a proportion of their income on food and drink than people under age 60.
• Electronics matter. Mature consumers are entering the electronic age faster than expected. In the United Kingdom, for example, "silver surfers" (individuals older than 55) are the fastest-growing age group for Internet adoption.
• The image of "old" is changing gradually. The longer we live, the longer we stretch the definition of "old." Stars such as Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren illustrate how even Hollywood's age parameters for female beauty are changing. Yet, while mature consumers want manufacturers and retailers to recognize the realities of aging, they do not want to be treated as "elderly."

Already, some manufacturers and retailers are adapting to these new dynamics. Automakers Mercedes, Ford and Volkswagen are mimicking the physical limitations of aging as they design certain vehicle models. Hospitals are using the Disney philosophy to train staff in customer-service techniques for mature patients. Retailers such as Wal-Mart are hiring older employees, and Carrefour offers electric shopping carts. This is not just good business—it is also self-interest.

How to Win the Mature Consumer

For retailers, aging may mean a paradigm shift in the design of stores and retail chains. Today, the central idea in retail design is to improve efficiency for shoppers. Consumers are busy working and raising their families, so they want to get in and out of stores as quickly as possible. Larger stores outside city centers, lots of parking and short queues with focused, efficient cashiers are all designed for less frequent, big-basket shopping.

However, mature consumers, who represent up to 30 percent of spending power, have an entirely different outlook on shopping. A trip to the store is often a source of physical activity and social interaction, an opportunity to investigate nutritional guidelines, and, in general, a place for enjoyment. Shopping trips are planned in the middle of the weekday, take place several times a week (or even daily), and with increasing age, are accessed less by car and more by foot.

Mature consumers spend more time in stores. As such, they want personal attention from friendly, talkative cashiers, not speed. They want to sit down and have a cup of coffee, not laser scanners. They want smaller stores closer to home, not large and far-away ones. They want a clear, organized assortment with high-quality products at good prices, not unlimited choice or cheap, low-quality produce.

For manufacturers, responding to the aging phenomenon will require a far-reaching re-thinking of product design, particularly in labels and directions, legible prices and easy-to-open packaging. Mature consumers want nutritious food and will take their time to get informed about dietary information while at the store, so they need easy-to-read information in larger font sizes. Above all, manufacturers will need to work closely with their customers in the retail sector to coordinate an effective response to the changing consumer market.

Older and Wiser

We will all be mature consumers one day, and some of us will be very mature indeed. Within 25 years, individuals older than 85 will represent more than 8 percent of the population in Japan and between 3 and 5 percent in Europe and the United States. Adapting to the radically different requirements of mature consumers can have extensive consequences for retailers and manufacturers. As this customer group grows and gains purchasing power, smart companies will adjust their strategies accordingly to gain a competitive advantage.

Authors

Martin Walker is senior fellow of A.T. Kearney's Global Business Policy Council. He is based in the Washington, D.C., office.

Xavier Mesnard is a partner in the consumer products and retail practice. He is based in the Paris office.