This blog was contributed by Gretel Jones, Policy Officer (Consumer Markets) at Age UK.
Older people are an important and growing consumer group. For the first time, there are more people aged over 65 than under 16 in the UK. This growth in the older population is estimated to continue for the foreseeable future.
From a business point of view, older consumers are the only growing market there is. Sadly, although the Government has recognised the implications of an ageing society on public services, the same does not seem to be the case for the private sector. Many marketers do not understand or address the older population and consequently this is a segment that often gets misrepresented, neglected or ignored.
Difficulties in getting to the shops
Difficulties increased with age. While only 8% of 60 to 64 year olds had difficulty this rose to 19% for the 80 to 84s and 60% for those aged over 90. This is very relevant given it is the older older age group that is estimated to be the fastest growing segment of older people. This of course is exacerbated for people living in rural areas where public transport links are so poor. Also relevant to the journey is the difficulty older people have in carrying heavy shopping home.
Difficulties in the store
Poor store layout, poor lighting, aisles that are too narrow and lack of seating and toilet facilities can cause problems. Deep trolleys and freezers make it hard to get shopping out and it is hard to reach up to the top shelf or down to the bottom ones. Size of fonts on shelf labels can be too small for them to see.
A new problem is lack of confidence in using the self-service checkouts which are bound to be on the increase.
Meeting the needs of older people
Ease of opening of packaging is a constant criticism from older people. Vacuum packs, opening tins and jars and childproof bottles are particularly problematic. But equally difficult is the food information on the packs. Often in print that is too small and with insufficient colour contrasts makes it difficult to read.
About 37% of older people live alone. But a lot of other age groups do as well and it is estimated that there will be an 18% growth in single-person households by 2031. Yet food retailers seem to target larger households which often increases the costs of food shopping for smaller ones.
Age UK’s new report, Food Shopping in Later Life, gives details on six of the shopping services provided by local Age UKs that aim to help older people to shop. It also makes a number of recommendations for retailers that would be helpful for older people.
Age International
Age UK
ageukpublicaffairs
andyglyde
Christopher Brooks
Greg Lewis
José Luis Iparraguirre
jamesgoodwin1407
janevass
joeoldman
Judith Escribano
Katherine Hill
Lizzie Feltoe
Lucy Malenczuk
Mary Milne
matthewjnorton
mervynkohler
Michelle Mitchell
rutheisden
Sally West
samanthanicklin
Stephen Lowe
susandavidson99
Tom Gentry
It is very good to see that something of an organised professional approach is being set up in order to make life less stressful for older people.
At the same time it is also important that the elderly are not prevented from doing as much as they can for themselves. Shopping is a big thing in their lives. They get out maybe buy a couple of things which they can carry. The free pass is better than all the tablets the Doctors prescribe.
At my bustop I see the same old,and often very old,people who have got up,got dressed and got out . The Easy Access bus is also a great help here and we are lucky where I live to have so many. Yet in Glos where my sister lives the local bus requires the skill of an alpine climber to get on.
But well done AGE UK .
This blog highlights a hugely problematic area and I’m really glad it is being focused on more.
As a health professional working with this age group I have experienced that the primary difficulty is getting to the supermarket, and mobilising around it safely. This has a costly effect on social care, as to my knowledge most care packages have an element of food shopping in the care plan. Being unable to open packaging and labels on food seem to me and have not really been mentioned as a particular problem by my patients at least. Perhaps this is because the older population tend to stick to the foods they know and there are many small kitchen aids which have been developed to counteract tricky packaging. However I really hope that increased emphasis is placed on transport and especially escorts like the service in Norwich mentioned in age uk’s food shopping for later life.
Is this service likely to be replicated in other localities?
Food shopping is an effort for most of us fit and well, therefore services simply dropping the elderly at the supermarket door will not cut the mustard, physical assistance, reassurance and tranport are needed in combination.
An interesting report, although I think that quite a lot has been done lately to help elderly people, to be honest. I agree that rural public transport is totally dire though. If my grandad wants to go anywhere by public transport he’d first have to walk 20 minutes to the nearest bus stop and then wait an hour for the bus, if he just so happened to miss one. They never run on time, either! Good on you for doing this, Age UK.
I am 85, fairly old, I am not lonely, I can do my shopping, I have a scooter, one of those lovely chairs that push you up, and a extra high loo seats. I do think that there should be some one to go to those older folks who do not know where to get help. It is all there, if you know who to ask and where to go. Elizabeth