This report looks at the following areas:
- Key factors and trends in the consumer market aimed at older people
- Older consumers’ dietary preferences and acceptance of specially designed products
- The demand for exploration and aesthetic expression in the second chapter of life
- Marketing communication strategies to address the need for emotional connection among older consumers
Brands can gain an advantage in the silver economy by understanding the needs of the older generation in the three areas of diet, experiences and emotion, and by moving from a narrative based purely on health to one that is an expression of a varied life.
Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report covers 1,000 internet users aged 55-65 and explores the needs of these older consumers and their expectations towards brands and their products and services. The Report explores how brands conduct marketing towards over-55s and focuses on their dietary preferences, product needs, attitudes towards ageing, travel needs, fashion preferences, levels of social inclusion and ability to adapt to digital lives, as well as the themes and elements that appeal to this group in marketing content and advertisements.
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Market factors
- Demand insights and future opportunities
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The market
- In a rapidly ageing society, focus on the potential of the over-55s
- Graph 1: population structure, 2013-23
- Fluctuating financial confidence among older consumers reflecting concerns over multiple uncertainties
- Graph 2: confidence in improving financial situation – very/somewhat confident, by age group, 2020-25
- Facing competitive pressure, education for older people is focusing on skills and vocational support
- Graph 3: biggest concerns for those aged 50-59, 2024 vs 2025
- Graph 4: popularity of courses for older people*, 2023
- Approximately four in ten older people still in full-time employment, health needs key to supporting continued work
- Graph 5: employment/retirement status, by gender and age, 2025
- Graph 6: attitudes towards delayed retirement – strongly/somewhat agree, by gender and age, 2025
- Lifestyle upgrades boost popularity of durable goods, health supplements, and clothing, shoes and accessories
- Graph 7: intention to trade up (buy more expensive brands or products) in the next 12 months, 2023-25
- Food standards need improvement, specially designed foods are a blue ocean market
- Fashion for older consumers needs functionality and expression, with trends and experiences driving new consumer choices
- Upgrade cultural tourism for older travellers to create an age-friendly service and experience
- Graph 8: percentage of older people who spent more on leisure and entertainment categories and holidays compared to the previous month, 2021-25
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The consumer
- Three major life needs: maintaining health, exploring the world and social integration
- Nourishing food, no compromises
- A healthy diet is key to a higher quality of later life
- Graph 9: desires for healthy ageing, by age, 2024
- Increased awareness of dietary health in Tier 1 cities, shift from frugality to health
- Graph 10: daily dietary habits, by city tier, 2024
- ‘No overnight food’ has become a new callout to attract consumers
- Together with high fibre and lighter foods, organic claims can help reach more consumers
- Back up organic attributes with details to enhance perception of healthfulness
- ‘Specially designed for older consumers’ is next most appealing advertised feature in food and drinks, second only to natural products
- Graph 11: attractive promotional labels/claims, by product category, 2025
- 55-59s value ‘specially designed for’ products, 60-65s look for naturalness
- Graph 12: attractive promotional labels/claims – food and drink, by age, 2025
- New opportunities in texture-modified ready meals for older consumers
- Graph 13: purchases of and interest in food and drink specially designed for older consumers, 2025
- Use soft foods to meet the essential dietary needs of older consumers
- Enjoyment of life
- Age is just a number, mindset is what counts
- Graph 14: definition of an older person, 2022 vs 2024
- Expectations of independence, excitement and fulfilment in the second chapter of life
- Graph 15: attitudes towards life in old age, 2024
- Self-growth and diversity of choice make for a happy life
- Graph 16: happiness-boosting activities, 2025
- Older consumers see travel as a way to expand their social networks and knowledge
- Graph 17: motivations for leisure travel, by age, 2024
- Meaningfulness and cultural richness make for a more luxurious travel experience
- Graph 18: expectations for travel experiences, by age, 2025
- Meaningful participation is an upgrade that older consumers are willing to pay for
- Fashion has no age limit, older consumers embrace a more exuberant style
- Graph 19: preference changes among 50-59 age group – preferences do change (net), 2025
- Personality is expressed through fashion, foreign brands epitomise style
- Graph 20: attitudes towards fashion consumption – brand preference, by age, 2025
- Graph 21: attitudes towards fashion consumption – personality, by age, 2025
- Tier 1 consumers more interested in updates and textures, style and craftsmanship innovations appeal to consumers in higher tier cities
- Graph 22: attractive promotional labels – clothes/trousers/shoes, by city tier, 2025
- Collaborate with older influencers to promote a diversity of styles and fashions
- Technology and craftsmanship innovations support a human-centric focus on age-friendly and quality products
- Support you can count on
- Older population in China more worried about being out of touch with society
- Graph 23: worries about ageing, by country, 2024
- Recognition that delayed retirement helps keep the mind active and ideas up to date
- Graph 24: attitude towards deferred retirement – agree, by city tier, 2025
- Learning is lifelong
- Graph 25: % of respondents interested in learning and % who participated in learning, by retirement status, 2022 vs 2025
- Familiarity with digital services increasing rapidly among older consumers, especially in everyday services
- Graph 26: familiarity with digital services – proficient usage, 2021 vs 2024
- Designs aligned with cognitive and usage habits help ecommerce experiences feel more familiar
- Expectations for AI to become a comprehensive life companion
- Graph 27: AI electronic product purchases, by age, 2024
- Graph 28: demand for AI tools – never used AI but interested in using, by age, 2024
- With enhanced awareness and broadening applications, AI is entering the lives of the older generation
- Face-to-face communication still important for brands to reach older groups in lower tier cities
- Graph 29: consumer lifestyle preferences – agree, by city tier, 2025
- Appreciate life details to show care and to open communication with older consumers
- Images of people with similar age and circumstances resonate more with older consumers in lower tier cities
- Graph 30: attractive advertisement elements, by city tier, 2025
- Use familiar faces and similar aged people to build consumer awareness
- Preferences and emotional needs of older consumers in different city tiers
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Issues and insights
- Designed for me, understanding my needs: focus on food textures, specially designed products and labelling
- 55-59s are driving the food and drinks market for older consumers towards greater specialisation
- Graph 31: attractive promotional labels/claims – specially designed for older consumers, by age, 2025
- Scientific approach to food texture can open up new segments in the food and drinks market
- Intuitive and simplified labelling improves consumer experience, conveying product expertise and convenience
- Go beyond basic nutritional needs to disease management with specialised products to tap into a blue ocean market
- Together with me, expanding my social circle: focus on travel and daily life to elevate age-friendly experiences
- Life has no limits, with the older generation living a life of exploration
- Graph 32: preferred type of care in old age, by age, 2023 vs 2025
- Combination of cultural tourism, interests and social interaction creating new vertical markets
- Create spaces for social gatherings and experiences to provide an age-friendly offline home from home
- Helping me participate and accompanying me: integrating into digital society with companion-based connections
- Help older consumers connect and become active participants
- Technology for good: age-friendly technology shifts from meeting needs to conveying emotions
- Provide high quality digital content to help older consumers move from being subject to co-creator
- What we think
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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