Selling to, and Profiting from, the Over-50s - UK - October 2004

SUMMARY

Looking to get a better understanding of your 50+ consumer base?

Mintels latest report offers you a unique way of getting to grips with thiskey target audience. By exploring their attitudes towards family values, work,life priorities, society, looking good and staying fit, leisure activities andthe future, so this research enables you to tailor your marketing to realdemand, both tactically and strategically.

Use Mintels research into the mindset and dynamics of this unique consumergroup to devise suitable, subtle and effective campaigns, avoid market pitfalls,discover opportunities in your sector and identify growth potential.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction and Abbreviations

Abbreviations

Executive Summary

Numerically superior

Freedom is the key

The downsides of being over 50

Stuck in the middle - the joys and problems of family life

Working lives - a fluid picture

Finance over 50: the living is easy (for some)

My Generation: the legacy of the 1960s

Keeping up appearances is as important at 60 as at 30

Women learn from their daughters

Men prefer to go their own way

Mind willing, body not

Never too old to learn

Sport is health-related

Who to spend time with?

The role of technology

Younger longer? - undoubtedly

Life at 50 (1): Family and Working Life

Over-50s in the population

Figure 1: Population growth of those aged 50+, 2002-09

The time of their lives?

Figure 2: I am very happy with my life as it is, by age group, 2004

Figure 3: Satisfaction with life - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

The best and worst of being over 50

The best...

Figure 4: The best things about being over 50, 2004

...and the worst

Figure 5: The worst things about being over 50, 2004

Family values

Children - time to leave home?

But some are just arriving

Parenting is a lifetime job...

...emotionally

...practically

...and financially

Grandchildren are a constant presence

Lots of cuddles

But they are often still caring for their own parents

Spouses, partners and significant others

Independent singles

Starting over

Happy together?

Getting along together

Education for life

Living to work?

Figure 6: Working status of those aged 50-69, by age group, 2004

Source: GB TGI, BMRB Summer 2004/Mintel

Work and children

Direction changers

Reluctant downshifters

Happy downshifters

Would-be downshifters

Retirees

Out of retirement

Ageism and the workplace

Grumpy killjoys?

Feelings of being cast aside

Past your sell-by date

Time to move on

The marketing perspective

Life at 50 (2): Priorities and Attitudes

Priorities

Figure 7: Important things in life - 50-69-year-olds, October 2003

Keeping up standards: Money and the over-50s

Spending patterns

Figure 8: Average weekly household expenditure, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 9: Average weekly household expenditure, by all households and households where the head of household is aged 50-59 and 60-69, 2002/03

Figure 10: Average weekly household expenditure, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 11: Average weekly per capita expenditure on food, in and out of home, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 12: Total household expenditure, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Relatively high contentment with living standards

Figure 13: I am perfectly happy with my standard of living, by age group, 2004

Figure 14: I am perfectly happy with my standard of living - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

The departure of children means more money for themselves

Less outgoings...and some extra money coming in

Some concern about future financial provision

Time on their side?

Figure 15: Availability of time - all adults and those aged 50-69, January 2004

The advantage of being retired

Figure 16: Availability of time - those aged 50-69, by working status, January 2004

Part-time workers have quality time

Figure 17: Availability of time - all adults and 50-69-year-olds, by working status, January 2004

Keeping all the balls in the air

Figure 18:In this day and age it is important to juggle various tasks at the same time, by age group, 2004

Figure 19: Attitudes towards time management - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Lifesavers

Figure 20: Most important things to make life easier - all adults and those aged 50-69, January 2004

Figure 21: How extra free time would be used - all adults and those aged 50-69, January 2004

Figure 22: Most popular ways extra free time would be used - 50-69-year-olds v all adults, January 2004

How adventurous are they?

Figure 23: Routine versus impulse, by age group, 2004

Figure 24: The importance of routine - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 25: Acting on the spur of the moment - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 26: The appeal of novelty and challenge - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

My Generation

Attitudes towards society

Important to contribute to society

Figure 27: Duty versus pleasure, by age group, 2004

A key lifestage for green consumers

Figure 28: Attitudes towards ethical consumerism, by age group, 2004

Figure 29: Ethical consumerism - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

A womans place?

Figure 30: A womans place is in the home, by age group, 2004

Figure 31: A womans place is in the home - those aged 50-69, by gender and age, 2004

The marketing perspective

Looking Good and Staying Fit

Attitudes towards they way they look

Figure 32: The importance of being attractive to the opposite sex, by age group, 2004

Figure 33: The importance of being attractive to the opposite sex - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 34: The importance of being attractive to the opposite sex - those aged 50-69, men and women, by marital status, 2004

The importance of image

Figure 35: Attitudes towards appearance, by age group, 2004

Men less concerned about appearance

Figure 36: Attitudes towards looking after appearance, image - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 37: Attitudes towards looking attractive and well groomed - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 38: Attitudes towards looking well dressed - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 39: Attitudes towards looking well dressed - those aged 50-69, men and women, by marital status, 2004

Figure 40: I wear just anything, I dont worry much about it - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 41: Attitudes towards the way they dress - those aged 50-69, men v women, by marital status, 2004

Figure 42: Attitudes towards the way the dress - those aged 50-69, by marital status, 2004

Forever young?

Figure 43: Attitudes towards appearance, by age group, 2004

Women want to stay looking young longer

Figure 44: It is important to keep young looking - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Its men who wear the jeans

Figure 45: Wearing jeans - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 46: Those who usually wear jeans - men and women aged 50-69, by age group, 2004

Figure 47: Those who dress in a young style, and who only buy fashionable clothes - men and women aged 50-69, by age group, 2004

M&S still the favourite for clothes purchases

Figure 48: Retail outlets used for clothing by those aged 50-69, May 2003

Figure 49: The most popular outlets for clothes shopping and Internet/catalogue usage - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, June 2004

One in five shop at Asda

Figure 50: The most popular retail outlets for clothes shopping - those aged 50-69, by gender and socio-economic group, June 2004

M&S is disappointing some consumers

Men - passive, sharing or independent choosers?

Spending on clothes

Figure 51: Average annual household expenditure on mens and womens clothing, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Spending on womenswear highest among 50-59s

Skincare

Figure 52: Use of products to keep skin young and supple, by age group, 2004

Figure 53: Use of products to keep skin young and supple - women aged 50-69, by age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Daughters spending on anti-ageing products

Mums are more sceptical

Old and trusted brands

Make-up

Lessons from the young

Beauty treatments

Generation gap?

Health and fitness

Mind willing, body not

Figure 54: Attitudes towards healthy lifestyles, by age group, 2004

Figure 55: What I want most is to be fit and active - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Less affluent need to be encouraged to exercise more

Figure 56: I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 57: I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week - those aged 50-69, by socio-economic group, 2004

Many women are constant dieters

Figure 58: Most of the time I am trying to lose weight - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 59: Participation in sport and exercise - those aged 50-69, all versus those who want to lose weight, by gender, 2004

Menopausal malaise

Figure 60: Self-treatment for illness as a way of making life easier - all adults and those aged 50-69, by gender, January 2004

They look at you as an age group, not as a person

You just never know

The marketing perspective

Over-50s at Leisure

Gardening and DIY

Figure 61: Average annual household expenditure on garden products, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Appreciation of gardening rises with age

Figure 62: I get a good deal of pleasure from my garden, by age group, 2004

Gardening provides consolation for the bereaved

Figure 63: I get a good deal of pleasure from my garden - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

The men need big schemes

Hobbies and interests

Many hobbies dont come cheap

Sport and exercise

Figure 64: Sports participated in regularly - those aged 50-69, by gender, March 2003

Being married means less time for hobbies/sport

Figure 65: Average weekly time spent on hobbies/sport- those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-

economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Eating out

The 50-59s are key spenders

Figure 66: Average annual household expenditure on meals in restaurants and cafes, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 67: I enjoy splashing out on a meal in a restaurant, by age group, 2004

Figure 68: I enjoy splashing out on a meal in a restaurant - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Restaurants are for couples

Figure 69: Attitudes towards eating in restaurants - those aged 50-69, by age and socio-economic group, 2004

Figure 70: Those who go to restaurants (daytime and evening) - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Ladies who lunch too busy doing sport to eat out

Figure 71: Women who go to restaurants in the daytime - those aged 50-69, by working status, 2004

Arts and culture

Figure 72: Interest in the arts and music, by age group, 2004

Figure 73: Interest in the arts - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

ABC1 women are the most cultured

Figure 74: Interest in the arts - those aged 50-69, men and women, by socio-economic group, 2004

Figure 75: Those who go to the theatre these days - 50-69-year-olds, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 76: Those attending opera, ballet and contemporary dance performances - 50-69-year-olds, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

One in four 50-54s go to pop/rock concerts

Figure 77: Those attending music performances - 50-69-year-olds, by gender, age, socio-economic

group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 78: Music is an important part of my life - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic

group, working status and marital status, 2004

Art galleries appeal to the singles

Figure 79: Those going to art galleries/exhibitions - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status2004

Holidays

The reward for getting older

Get out and do it while we can

Leisure companions

Learning new skills - computers and the Internet

Figure 80: Attitudes towards technology, by age group, 2004

Figure 81: I try to keep up with developments in technology - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Men getting hooked on the Internet

Figure 82: Frequency of Internet usage at home - those aged 50-69, by gender, age and socio-economic group, July 2004

Figure 83: Type of Internet usage at home- those aged 50-69, by gender, age and socio-economic group, July 2004

Figure 84: I often refer to the Internet before making a purchase - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Resistance to new technology

Technology at work

Emailing is appreciated

Technology and leisure

Figure 85: Use of technology as a way of making life easier - all adults and those aged 50-69, by gender, January 2004

Over-50s and cars

50-59s are key spenders on new cars

Figure 86: Average annual household expenditure on vehicle purchase, by age of head of household, 2002/03

Boys toys

The marketing perspective

The Future

Staying younger longer?

Financial freedom

Relationships

The legacy of the 1960s

The pace of life today

What does the future hold?

Figure 87: Current concerns - all adults and those aged 50-69, October 2003

Figure 88: Those concerned about health-related issues and low intereset rates - 50-69-year-olds, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, October 2003

Live for today?

Figure 89: Spending and saving, and worries about the future, by age group, 2004

Figure 90: I prefer enjoying my money (spending it) rather than saving it - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 91: I like to enjoy life and dont worry about the future - those aged 50-69, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status and marital status, 2004

Merry widowers

Figure 92: I like to enjoy life and dont worry about the future - those aged 50-69, all versus those who are widowed, by gender, 2004

Spend the kids inheritance - but hang on to the house

Long-term care

Downsize me?

Typologies

Figure 93: Cluster groups, by agreement with lifestlye statements, 2004

Figure 94: Cluster groups, by demographic sub-groups, 2004

Over-50s Appendix

Figure 95: Population trends, by age, 2002-09

Figure 96: Demographic profile of adults aged 50-69, by gender, socio-economic group, region, working status and marital status, 2004

Figure 97: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by household size, 2004

Figure 98: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by lifestage, 2004

Figure 99: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by home ownership and length of occupancy, 2004

Figure 100: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by highest level of educational achievement, 2004

Figure 101: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by media usage, 2004

Figure 102: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by family income, 2004

Figure 103: Average weekly household income (?), by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 104: Average weekly savings (?), by age of head of household, 2002/03

Figure 105: Profile of adults aged 50-69, by ACORN group, 2004

Appendix: Research Methodology

Confidence levels