From the age of 45, life is opening up again. While family responsibilities remain, greater attention is being directed back to the self. Health management is used to keep daily life running, hobbies and travel help expand life horizons while digital content and AI (artificial intelligence) support a continued connection with the world. Opportunities in the older consumer market now go beyond eldercare and lie in enabling people to manage the second half of their lives with greater ease and initiative.
Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report covers 1,500 internet users aged 45-65. It extends the scope of analysis beyond older age to encompass a fuller life stage to explore deeper shifts in life status, health management, new lifestyles and brand trust among this group.
This Report uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to both assess trends and gain a deeper understanding of the consumer context.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- The market
- The consumer and opportunities
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THE MARKET
- China has entered an aged society
- Extended retirement transition shakes financial confidence for the 40-59s
- Graph 1: financial confidence – very/somewhat confident, by age, 2021-26
- Older consumers cut back on essential upgrades but experience-led spending still shows room for growth
- Graph 2: categories where people aged 40-49 plan to trade up their spending, 2025 vs 2026
- Graph 3: categories where people aged 50-59 plan to trade up their spending, 2025 vs 2026
- Supply-side upgrades in lifestyle services for older individuals, with the rise of retirement clubs
- Commercial spaces for older consumers evolve from display areas to multi-functional shopping hubs
- Silver tourism speeds towards the premium market, with quality and tailored services driving growth
- Upgrade offerings in retirement communities, with courses and clubs becoming new foundations for active ageing
- Frontiers of the overseas older consumer market
- The evolution of fitness for older adults in Japan: moving from general services to niche offerings
- Japan’s digital social landscape for older individuals splits into daily companionship, hobby connections and intimate relationships
- Upgrade India’s digital services for older individuals by integrating entertainment, learning and daily assistance
- Professional accompaniment services for older adults in South Korea fill gaps in mobility‑limited travel needs
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THE CONSUMER AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Qualitative research participants
- What kind of life do older adults desire?
- Unexpected insights into the lifestyle preferences of older individuals
- A new priority in the lives of older individuals: self-realisation alongside family responsibility
- Graph 4: life attitudes – after working hard their whole lives, retirees should focus on improving their own quality of life, by age, 2026
- Graph 5: life attitudes – older generations have a responsibility to pass on wealth to the next generation, by age, 2026
- Ages 50-59 enter the transition to retirement, with rising pressure from health, income and caregiving
- Graph 6: aspects of life prioritised by those aged 50-59, 2025 vs 2026
- Graph 7: aspects of life that those aged 50-59 are concerned about, 2025 vs 2026
- Identity shifts in the later-life transition, from external roles to personal experience
- Graph 8: sources of identity, by age, 2025
- The second half of life no longer begins at retirement, as older individuals start preparing in advance
- How is ageing assessed and how is health defined?
- The criteria used to identify ageing are increasingly specific and more rooted in everyday life
- Graph 9: definition of older people, 2024 vs 2026
- Changes in appearance make ageing more noticeable, triggering consumer demands for self-improvement
- Deeper concerns about ageing stem from whether life can keep moving forward and whether they can stay connected
- Graph 10: concerns about ageing, 2026
- Health shifts from the mitigation of illness to sustaining life continuity
- Graph 11: health perceptions among older people, 2026
- Three aspects keeping life moving forward: order, connection and life expansion
- Graph 12: lifestyle engagement, 2026
- The lifestyle of older individuals at different stages is reshaping their judgement of ageing and priority to health
- Among the 45-54s, ageing is primarily assessed through changes in memory and physical capacity
- Graph 13: definition of seniors – select, by age, 2026
- For those aged 45-54, the main focus of health is to be able to keep daily life running smoothly
- Graph 14: concerns about ageing – select, by age, 2026
- Graph 15: aspects of life people want to improve – select, by age, 2026
- With limited energy, those aged 45-54 are in greater need of low-effort daily health management
- Reduce physical strain naturally through daily activities, making health maintenance feel effortless
- Embed immediate, easily accessible health experiences into the daily routines of the older adults
- Fitness for older adults requires lowering physical intensity and easing barriers to participation
- For people aged 55-59, the judgement of ageing begins to shift towards disease risks and changes in physical function
- Graph 16: definition of seniors – select, by age, 2026
- People aged 55-59 place greater emphasis on disease prevention, health learning and keeping up with external changes
- Graph 17: concerns about ageing – select, by age, 2026
- Graph 18: aspects of life people want to improve – select, by age, 2026
- High demand for knowledge during the 55-59 transition, with parent-child communication and mobile pop-ups as entry points
- People aged 55-59 need emotional and social support when facing disease risk and the transition to retirement
- Commercial and senior living spaces can be upgraded from functional venues to social spaces by organising communities
- People aged 60-65 place greater emphasis on keeping their retirement life fulfilling and active
- Graph 19: areas of life that the 60-65 age group is satisfied with and wants to improve, 2026
- Use the real lives of peers as examples to inspire those aged 60-65 to reimagine their retirement
- An active life requires products that provide a healthy foundation, alongside a public stage that inspires continuous participation
- The 45-54s hold things together, the 55-59s plan ahead, the 60-65s stay active
- How do older adults want to kick-start their new lives?
- Everyday life is settling down but activity in new life has yet to be unlocked
- The value of hobbies lies not only in self-care but also in staying connected to the wider world
- Graph 20: reasons for engaging in hobbies and interests, 2026
- A new map of emerging interests among the older population: arts and entertainment lead, with travel close behind
- Graph 21: hobbies and interests people have participated in, 2026
- Graph 22: hobbies and interests people have not participated in but would like to try, 2026
- The 45-54s actively branch out, the 55-59s focus on exercise, the 60-65s dive into digital content
- Graph 23: hobbies and interests people have not participated in but would like to try – select, by age, 2026
- From sightseeing to travelling with like-minded people: emerging travel trends meet the social needs of older individuals
- Graph 24: reasons for engaging in hobbies and interests, by selected hobbies and interests participated, 2026
- Themed trips built around shared interests are bringing older individuals into new social circles
- Social connections continue to expand imagination around the next trip and future life
- The social code of travelling for older individuals: turning shared interests into a common language
- Continuously amplify the travel motivations of the older generation through show topics and social discussions
- New fitness trends do not just support health, they also freshen your image and lifestyle
- Graph 25: reasons for engaging in hobbies and interests – the latest fitness trends, by selected hobbies and interests participated, 2026
- Graph 26: reasons for engaging in hobbies and interests – established sports, by selected hobbies and interests participated, 2026
- Combine a healthy glow with everyday living: helping new fitness trends fit into the routines of older women
- Turn exercise into a lifestyle experience encompassing ritual, condition management and social engagement
- A map of digital life for older individuals: covering information, entertainment and shopping
- The 45-54s use digital content to unwind, the 55-59s look for inspiration, while the 60-65s prefer entertainment
- Graph 27: reasons for engaging in hobbies and interests – digital content and entertainment, by age, 2026
- Age‑segmented digital content pathways: bite-sized stress relief for the 45-54s, interest-based education for the 55-59s and emotional companionship for the 60-65s
- Interest-based education is becoming a key digital touchpoint for brands to enter the lives of older individuals
- Interest-led classes are both a playground for older individuals and a frontline for brands to understand their needs
- How can brands enter the lives of older adults?
- Shopping is not just about meeting basic needs, it is also about bringing new interests and things to look forward to into everyday life
- Graph 28: attitudes towards consumption, 2026
- Lower the barrier to trying new things: making life easier while sparking a desire to explore
- Functional needs among older people go beyond practicality, they must also reduce operational effort and physical strain
- By documenting their lives, older individuals keep up their interest and engagement with everyday life
- Combine online content with offline community classes to boost older individuals’ involvement in documenting their lives
- The three pillars of building trust: peer endorsement, verifiable information and emotional value
- Graph 29: effective ways for brands to build trust, 2026
- From acquaintance endorsement to relationship support, brands need to address the core concerns of the older population
- Livestreaming for older individuals: lower entry barriers through setting optimisation, build long-term impact through supportive engagement
- AI has become an everyday tool for older people
- From entertainment content to practical information, health consultation emerges as an early AI adoption scenario among older adults
- Graph 30: usage of AI, by age, 2026
- Use health scenarios and entry-level guidance to bring AI into the daily lives of older people
- AI appeals to older consumers through both efficiency and emotional value
- Bring emotional companionship and daily support into the lives of older adults through proactive AI
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WHAT WE THINK
- New growth in the consumption of older individuals comes from the desire to live life on their own terms
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APPENDIX – METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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