Attitudes Towards Aging: Volume 1 - US - March 2004

SUMMARY

While aging is an inevitable part of life, the American population is living longer primarily due to better living conditions and advanced healthcare. As a result, the stereotypical "senior citizen" no longer exists and many Americans want to look as young as they feel. Older adults are becoming a more significant group in the general population. In fact, the number of adults aged 55 to 64 will increase 47.6% from 2000 to 2010 as the older Baby Boomers move into this age group. In addition the number of people aged 65 to 74 will increase 16.3% during this same time period. With the large Baby Boomer segment becoming the next "older generation," it is important to understand attitudes towards aging and how they will affect, and likely change, the marketing of related products and services in the marketplace.

Aging adults will spend upwards of $30 billion on anti-aging products in 2003. The significant amount of money willingly spent by consumers to remain youthful and vital combined with an aging population make it clear that this market will continue to grow. As a result, it is crucial for companies to understand attitudes toward aging among the current senior citizens in America and among the aging Boomer generation.

This report is the first in a two-part series on attitudes toward aging, with an emphasis on the cosmetic aspects of aging (preventing and treating wrinkles rather than preventing and treating arthritis for example). The following are covered within the first volume:

• Market Factors that influence attitudes toward aging. This includes a detailed discussion of demographics (age projections, gender, marital status, income and disposable income) and lifestyles (i.e., spending patterns, and the focus on youth by Boomers) as they pertain to attitudes toward aging.
• Consumer Trends which focuses on an introduction to consumer purchase behavior and attitudes towards products surrounding the aspects of aging: skincare (including facial skincare, suncare and make-up) haircare, body care, dental care, usage of vitamins and prescription drugs, usage of sexual performance enhancers, and attitudes and behaviors regarding diet and exercise.
• A detailed examination of four distinct products currently available to consumers and which are specifically positioned as anti-aging in nature.

This report focuses on a large senior consumer population and a growing market of Baby Boomers who are beginning to enter the stage at which they are aware of the effects of the aging process on their health and appearance (and for some, this is the period during which they begin to counter the effects of aging). While historically, people have considered a decline in abilities and the onset of health problems to be an inevitable occurrence when growing older, Americans today will not resign themselves to this process. Rather, many want to fight the effects and signs of aging. This extends even to people in their thirties and forties who are heeding the advice of the healthcare industry to take preventative steps before they reach "old age."

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION AND ABBREVIATIONS

• Introduction
• Other Relevant Reports
• Definition
• Abbreviations & Terms
• Abbreviations
• Terms

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Aging Population Growing
• Boomers Drive New Definition of Aging
• Non-Boomers Living Longer, Have More Resources
• Four Phases of Aging
• Looks Can Be Deceiving
• Men In The Mirror
• Prevention Is The Best Medicine
 

MARKET FACTORS

• An Aging Population
• Figure 1: U.S. population projections, by age, 2000-2010
• Generations
• Figure 2: American generation definitions, by age, 2000-2010
• Figure 3: American population projections, by generation, 2000-2010
• Swing/World War II Generations
• Baby Boomers
• Gender Influences on Attitudes Toward Aging
• Figure 4: Population aged 55 or older by sex and ratio of men to women, 2000 Census
• Growing Involvement of Men
• Figure 5: Men's attitudes towards grooming, by age, March 2003
• Marital Status
• Figure 6: Married people aged 55 or older, by gender and age, 2000
• Income and Discretionary Income
• Figure 7: Median household income, by age of householder, 2001
• Graph 1: Median household income, by age of householder, 2001
• Figure 8: Households with discretionary income, by age of householder, 2000
• Spending Patterns of Older Adults
• Figure 9: Average category spending, by category for all consumer units and consumer units headed by people age 55 and older, by age breaks of consumer unit reference person, 2000
• Graph 2: Average category spending, by category for all consumer units and consumer units headed by people age 55 and older, by age breaks of consumer unit reference person, 2000
• Figure 10: Average spending by consumer units headed by people age 55 or older, 1990 and 2000
• Spending on Health-Related Categories
• Figure 11: Average annual spending on healthcare by all consumer units and consumer units headed by people aged 45 or older, by age, 2000
• Figure 12: Overview of attitudes towards health, by age, April 2001-May 2002
• A Time of Life Changes
• Figure 13: Factors in the decision to work in retirement*, adults age 45 and older, 2002
• Baby Boomer Focus On Youth Will Change Attitudes Toward Aging
• Booming Market Of Preventative Measures
• Figure 14: Average annual cost estimates for youth-enhancing products and services by adults 40 and older, 2002

CONSUMER TRENDS

THE FOUR PHASES OF AGING

• Aging Early Planners
• Aging Prevention Seekers
• Aging Reduction Seekers
• Aging Well-being Seekers

SKINCARE

• Figure 15: Skincare products used to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, January 2004
• Figure 16: Women's attitudes towards specialty lotions, by age, April 2002
• Facial Skincare
• Suncare
• Figure 17: Usage of suncare products, by age, April 2001-May 2002
• Figure 18: Reason for using suncare products, by age, January 2003
• Make-Up
• Figure 19: Usage of cosmetics to reduce or hide wrinkles and lines, by gender and age, January 2004
• Spa Treatments
• Figure 20: Reasons women go to day spas, by age, July 2002

COSMETIC PROCEDURES

COSMETIC PROCEDURES

• Surgical Cosmetic Procedures
• Figure 21: Incidence of surgical procedures to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, January 2004
• Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures

HAIRCARE

• Figure 22: Haircare products and procedures used to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, April 2002
• Hair Color
• Figure 23: Usage of home hair coloring products, by gender and age, January-September 2002
• Figure 24: Men's usage of home hair coloring products, by age, January-September 2002

DENTAL CARE

• Figure 25: Teeth bleaching techniques used, by age, August 2002

VITAMINS/PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

• Figure 26: Vitamin usage to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, January 2004
• Figure 27: Vitamin usage for long-term health benefits, by age, June 2002
• Sexual Performance Prescription Drugs
• Figure 28: Usage of prescription drugs to enhance sexual performance, by gender and age, January 2004

EXERCISE

• Figure 29: Incidence of exercising specifically to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, January 2004
• Figure 30: Frequency of regular exercise program in the past 12 months, by age, January 2002-September 2002
• Figure 31: Incidence of eating/avoiding certain foods specifically to slow the effects of aging, by gender and age, January 2004
• Figure 32: Assessment of current diet, by age, January 2002-September 2002
• Figure 33: Top food topics consumers want to know more about, 2003

PRODUCTS FOCUSED ON AGING

• Neutrogena Visibly Firm
• Olay Vitamins
• Combe, Inc.
• Cialis

THE FUTURE

• Introduction
• Age Projections
• Figure 34: U.S. population projections, by age, 2003 and 2008
• Boomer Influence
• Cosmeceuticals Will Increase in Popularity
• Cosmetic Surgery to Begin Earlier
• Continued Growth of Anti-aging Technology and Chemical Treatments
• Sexuality and Aging
• Drug Therapies Will Address Mental and Emotional Effects of Aging
• Good Looks/Good Health, Inside and Out

APPENDIX: NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS

NEW PRODUCT BRIEFS

• Combe: Just For Men Try-Out Rinse Out Haircolor
• Combe: Just For Men Hair Color Extension
• Estée Lauder: Anti-Cellulite Visible Contouring Serum
• Estée Lauder: Aveda Tourmaline Charged Radiance Fluid
• Johnson & Johnson: Neutrogena Pre-Sunless Scrub
• Johnson & Johnson: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiance System
• Pharmavite: Olay Vitamins Wellness Nutrients Essential Bone Health Formula Supplement
• Pharmavite: Olay Vitamins Ester-C Alpha Lipoic Collagen Support Vitamins
• Procter & Gamble: Crest Whitestrips Dental Whitening System
• Procter & Gamble: Olay Complete Defense 30 SPF Moisturizer
• Procter & Gamble: Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream
• Procter & Gamble: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum
• Shiseido: Decleor Anti-Wrinkle Defense sun Protection Sun Cream
• Shiseido: Shiseido Pureness Pore Minimizing Cooling Essence
• Shiseido Beauty Foods: Collagen EX (Japan)
• SkinCeuticals: SkinCeuticals Reformulated Eye Cream
• SkinCeuticals: SkinCeuticals Reformulated Skin Firming Cream

APPENDIX: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Consumer Research
• Sampling & Weighting
• Presentation & Definition
• Further Analysis
• Trade Research
• Informal trade research
• Formal trade research
• Desk & Internet Research
• Sources
• Definitions
• Forecasts

APPENDIX: WHAT IS MINTEL?

• Mintel Publications
• Mintel Services
• Product retrieval
• Retail audits
• Tailored research
• Global New Products Database
• Research Support/Consultancy/MIC
• The Mintel Information Centre (MiC)
• PR Research