Global Consumer Trends: Age Complexity

Introduction

The Age Complexity mega-trend reflects that traditional age-related stereotypes are being broken, while at the same time, new ones are being created. The experiences, attitudes and behaviors of differing age groups are coalescing, leading to greater common interest and identification. At the same time, there are tensions between feelings of age pride and the fear of aging

Scope

*Detailed trend analysis outlining what constitutes 'value' for consumers (trends are, after all, a reflection of what's important to consumers)

*Global in focus, but also offers country-by-country and sector insights thereby catering to top-line or more specific information needs

*Covers all major FMCG sectors, but also with applicability to wider consumer goods audiences

*One of 10 dedicated mega-trend reports outlining the most important issues shaping global consumers' buying behavior both now and in the future

Highlights

Down-aging is an expression of the idea that many consumers feel younger than their actual ages suggest. Many are maintaining lifestyles, attitudes and behaviors that have more in common with younger age groups. This is fuelled by the greater degree of identification between age groups and similarity in their interests, attitudes, and behaviors

As well as being proud of one's age, individuals are also showing anxiety about aging in general and the way it is portrayed in the media. Furthermore, the anxiousness about aging is setting in earlier in life, inspiring preemptive, proactive behavior towards limiting the signs of aging

Despite the concept of the blurring of age group boundaries that is at the core of age complexity, age remains fundamentally important as a means of self-definition and is not always seen as a negative force that must be thwarted as the years advance. Indeed, the notion of age as identity' is a counter-trend to 'down-aging' and 'fear of aging'

Reasons to Purchase

*Understand the significance of the different age-aligned trends across territories and FMCG sectors to help support market diversification plans

*Save time and gain maximal insight by using this 'one-stop-shop' resource which offers a clear and up-to-date framework for understanding consumers

*Access data from two waves of global primary research to increase the likelihood of being 'on-trend' with NPD and marketing activities

Report Highlights

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Overview 1
Catalyst 1
Summary 1
Table of Contents 2
Table of figures 3
INTRODUCTION: THE IMPORTANCE OF TREND-TRACKING 4
Tracking consumer mega-trends is fundamental to long-term success 4
Trend-tracking insight 1: mega-trends can be classified in two ways according to desirable benefits and societal complexities 5
Trend-tracking insight 2: trends are aligned with pre-existing, but evolving human values, attitudes, needs and behaviors 6
Trend-tracking insight 3: mega-trends can be broken down into trends and sub-trends highlighting that trend frameworks provide structure and clarity at a time of 'information overload' 7
Trend-tracking insight 4: manufacturers, retailers and researchers/futurologists perpetuate trends 11
Trend-tracking insight 5: adopting a broader, global perspective to trend-tracking facilitates better decision making by overcoming 'category myopia' 13
Trend-tracking insight 6: trends have longer-term implications than fads and can be categorized by evolvement 14
Trend-tracking insight 7: for every trend there is a 'counter-trend' while 'trend-crossover' is also and important phenomena 16
Takeouts and implications: a trend framework boosts the quality and frequency of insight generation ensuring maximum return from the broader market research processes in place 17
THE FUTURE DECODED: DECIPERING THE AGE COMPLEXITY MEGA-TREND 19
MEGA-TREND SYNOPSIS: Age-related attitudes and behaviors are polarizing, reinforcing and defying stereotypes 19
TREND: The trend for ""down-aging"" continues to shape consumers' attitudes and behaviors 20
SUB-TREND: Consumers are attempting to prolong or revisit their youth 20
European Mid-Lifers in particular support the idea of remaining in the family home until your late-20s 22
Down aging behaviors have become well-established in the markets of the Americas 24
Strong familial bonds in Asia Pacific enable consumers to be dependent on their parents for longer 25
Key takeouts and implications: Extended youth and greater commonality in consumers' attitudes and behaviors offer opportunities to grow demand 27
SUB-TREND: Consumers are shifting their reference points towards age definition 27
Growing old is perceived with less negativity and from a more youthful perspective among Europeans 31
Consumers in the Americas feel younger than their actual ages 31
Many Asia Pacific consumers feel younger than they are, showing the trend to be a truly global phenomenon 31
Key takeouts and implications: traditional age definitions are in decline, adding to the down-aging trend 32
TREND: Fear of aging is driving 'age anxiety' and proactive attempts to prevent the manifestations of aging 33
SUB-TREND: Many consumers are anxious about aging and age portrayal 33
Older consumers are less appearance conscious than their younger counterparts in Europe 35
Consumers in the Americas show above average levels of concern for age and appearance-related issues 40
Body image issues impact all ages groups in Asia Pacific, but the young are more influenced by beauty portrayals 43
Gulf consumers of all ages exhibit high levels of satisfaction with their appearance and health 46
Key takeouts and implications: Aging is a cause for concern among consumers based on both societal values and pressures, and personal fears 49
SUB-TREND: Consumers are increasingly taking preventative steps in face of the fear of aging 50
Anti-aging products have a strong reception among older consumers in Europe, while beauty foods are more appealing to the young 51
Brazilians stand out in the Americas as consumers focusing on their personal appearance and driven to preemptively tackle the signs of aging 57
Asia Pacific consumers show a keen interest in aging prevention 60
Consumers in the Gulf exhibit above average concern for taking action against the signs of aging 66
Key takeouts and implications: preventing the signs of aging is itself undergoing a process of down-aging as ever younger consumers are motivated to respond preemptively 68
TREND: Age as a badge of identity: consumers are also embracing the aging process 68
SUB-TREND: Age pride is a counter-trend to the fear of aging 69
Older consumers in Europe are keen to live life to the full and adopt an as old as you feel approach 71
US consumers stand out internationally due to their dissatisfaction with their current ages 73
Age satisfaction shows significant variation with age and country in Asia Pacific 74
Key takeouts and implications: More positive views of aging necessitate greater understanding and nuanced targeting of marketing messages 75
SUB-TREND: Older consumers are showing adventurousness that breaks with commonly held preconceptions 76
Older European consumers seek to enjoy life just as much as younger age groups 77
Emerging market consumers in the Americas are more likely to be experience seekers, taking advantage of new opportunities 79
Many consumers do not want to slow down in old age in Asia Pacific 81
Key takeouts and implications: stereotypes of older consumers as unadventurous can threaten to beguile marketers out of potential sales opportunities 83
SUB-TREND: The paradox between age pride and fear of aging explains why older consumers do not relate to many adverts 84
While demand is there for products designed for their own needs, older consumers in Europe remain skeptical about associated product claims 85
Brazilians contrast Americans in their persistent interest in brands that match their outlook and belief in the credibility of product claims as they get older 87
Older consumers in Asia Pacific are keen on products designed for their personal needs, but anti agers have not yet gained their trust 88
Key takeouts and implications: marketers need to understand the nuances within the Senior age group and the changing ideas of what aging means within it 90
TREND: The speed and extent of 'consumer socialization' has increased 90
SUB-TREND: Brand awareness and associated demand is manifesting at ever younger ages 91
Key takeouts and implications: Targeting Kids can be a dangerous game for marketers but offers long-term advantages 93
SUB-TREND: Pester power demonstrates the significant influence of children on household spending 94
Key takeouts and implications: pestering parents yields results but engendering greater collaboration and common ground between them and their children in purchase decisions can yield greater positivity 95
SUB-TREND: Kids' autonomous spending power is rising although parents still pick up the tab for bigger ticket items 96
Key takeouts and implications: understanding when and how Kids transition into more independent consumers is key for marketers 97
SUB-TREND: Appearance consciousness is impacting younger cohorts 97
Key takeouts and implications: sensitivity to Kids' and Teens' appearance concerns is essential 98
SUB-TREND: Kids are increasingly experiencing concerns usually associated with adulthood 98
Key takeouts and implications: look to achieve balance between feeding the KGUY trend and childhood needs 99
APPENDIX 101
Definitions 101
Methodology 101
Further reading and references 102
Ask the analyst 103
Datamonitor consulting 103
Disclaimer 103
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List of Tables
List of Figures
Figure 1: Datamonitor's mega-trends are having a long-term and substantive impact on the marketing landscape and can be grouped into two categories 6
Figure 2: Consumer behavior and the innovations targeting it inevitably fit into a 'trend hierarchy' 7
Figure 3: Trend tracking can be a source of (comparative) competitive analysis 9
Figure 4: Datamonitor's mega-trend framework helps set the agenda for the specific topics covered in the New Consumer Insight (NCI) research stream 10
Figure 5: Trend development is dictated by both 'consumer pull' and 'manufacturer push' and Datamonitor offers the intelligence tools to capitalize on this reaity 12
Figure 6: In a consumerist global culture, the broad consumption spheres/segments transcend borders 14
Figure 7: Several factors distinguish a trend from a fad 16
Figure 8: Consumers' age-related attitudes and behaviors are polarizing, reinforcing and defying stereotypes 19
Figure 9: Down aging reflects both the desire to hold onto aspects of youth out of nostalgia and also the reality of consumers feeling younger than their actual ages 20
Figure 10: The Swedish have the lowest toleration for consumers in their late 20s living in the parental home 24
Figure 11: Consumers of all ages in the Americas have comparably favorable views of children remaining in the family home until their late-20s 25
Figure 12: Asian family-oriented culture influences the positive views towards twenty-somethings living at home 26
Figure 13: Consumers' aspirational ages reflect their fear of aging and desire to be younger, as well as down-aged attitudes 30
Figure 14: The markers of old age are shifting towards issues and behaviors associated with greater ages 30
Figure 15: Many older consumers in Asia Pacific do not feel their age 32
Figure 16: Consumers' anxieties about aging are translating into attempts to seek preventative measures 33
Figure 17: Older age groups feel less pressured to look good in Europe 37
Figure 18: Dutch consumers under 25 are the most satisfied with their appearance 37
Figure 19: Looking one's best in day-to-day life is held in high regard across the full age range among Europeans 38
Figure 20: Russian and German consumers are particularly prone to think attractive people have more opportunities in life 38
Figure 21: Younger consumers are more satisfied with their bodies than older consumers in Europe 39
Figure 22: UK under 25s are particularly prone to feel that beauty adverts make them feel self conscious 39
Figure 23: The over 50s are less satisfied with their health than younger consumers in Europe 40
Figure 24: The amount of pressure that consumers feel to look good diminishes with age in the Americas 42
Figure 25: Levels of satisfaction with personal appearance show differing trends in the US and Brazil 42
Figure 26: Looking your best in day-to-day life is important to consumers of all ages in the Americas 42
Figure 27: The majority of all age groups in the Americas agree that physically attractive people have better opportunities in life 42
Figure 28: Satisfaction with body shape is low among all age groups in the Americas 43
Figure 29: Younger age groups are more likely to feel self-conscious when presented with personal care advertisements 43
Figure 30: Younger consumers, particularly in South Korea, tend to feel under pressure to look good 44
Figure 31: Indian consumers are the most satisfied with their appearance in Asia Pacific 44
Figure 32: South Korean under 25s feel the most pressure to look their best 45
Figure 33: Younger South Koreans feel most strongly that attractive people have more opportunities in life 45
Figure 34: Dissatisfaction with body shape grows with age most markedly in China 45
Figure 35: Middle aged consumers are particularly self conscious about beauty portrayal in adverts in Japan and India 46
Figure 36: Older consumers in Japan are the least happy with their overall health 46
Figure 37: High levels of satisfaction with appearance characterize Gulf consumers across all age groups 47
Figure 38: Looking your best in day-to-day life is also valued highly by a large majority of Gulf consumers 48
Figure 39: Belief in attractiveness affording greater opportunities in life rises with age in the Gulf region 48
Figure 40: Saudi over-50s stand out as the most satisfied consumers globally with their body weight and shape 48
Figure 41: High levels of satisfaction with health later in life belies the work still required on public health education in the Gulf region 49
Figure 42: Younger consumers spend more time on their appearance than older people in Europe 52
Figure 43: Younger consumers in Europe are more inclined to consider cosmetic surgery 52
Figure 44: Greying hair is of more concern to the over 50s in Europe 53
Figure 45: Thinning hair is not actively tackled by many Europeans 53
Figure 46: A high proportion of Europeans in all age groups value taking care of their skin 54
Figure 47: Older consumers place higher importance on anti-aging skincare products in Europe 54
Figure 48: Anti-aging cosmetics are perceived as more important by the over 50s in Europe 55
Figure 49: The majority of consumers in Europe strive to eat healthily 55
Figure 50: The importance of exercise increases with age in Europe 56
Figure 51: Beauty foods are more appealing to younger consumers in Europe 56
Figure 52: US Young Adults are ahead of the international average in increasing time spend on personal appearance 58
Figure 53: Brazilians are considerably above the global average in terms of their openness to cosmetic surgery 58
Figure 54: Graying hair is a below average concern to US consumers but appearance conscious Brazilians become particularly concerned in Mid-Life 58
Figure 55: Thinning hair is also an above-average concern to Brazilians, contrasting their US peers 59
Figure 56: Skincare is a consistently important issue across all ages in the US and Brazil 59
Figure 57: Anti-aging benefits in skincare have particular appeal among Brazilians from Mid-Life onwards 59
Figure 58: Anti-aging cosmetics are similarly popular to their skincare equivalents among Brazilian Mid-Lifers 59
Figure 59: Health eating messages have been particularly well received among older Brazilians 60
Figure 60: Exercise is seen as important across all age groups in the Americas 60
Figure 61: Beauty foods and drinks are particularly attractive to appearance conscious and experimentally open Brazilians 60
Figure 62: Younger consumers spend the most time on their appearance in Asia Pacific 62
Figure 63: Cosmetic surgery would be considered by under a third of consumers in Asia Pacific 62
Figure 64: Chinese and Indian consumers are more interested in products for grey hair than others in Asia Pacific 63
Figure 65: Products for thinning hair are of interest to many consumers in India and China 63
Figure 66: Skin care is perceived as an important ritual for many Asia Pacific consumers 64
Figure 67: Anti-aging skincare is particularly valued by 35-49 year old Asia Pacific consumers 64
Figure 68: Japanese consumers are less concerned with anti-aging cosmetics than other nations 64
Figure 69: Older consumers in Asia Pacific generally make more efforts to eat healthily than the young 65
Figure 70: Exercise is perceived as being of importance by all ages in Asia Pacific 65
Figure 71: Younger consumers generally find beauty foods the most appealing in Asia Pacific 66
Figure 72: Consumers in the UAE of all ages are above the global average in seeing skincare as important 67
Figure 73: Anti-aging benefits in skincare are particularly important to Saudi and UAE consumers of all ages 67
Figure 74: Anti-aging cosmetics grow in importance with age among Gulf consumers 67
Figure 75: Healthy eating is actively pursued by high numbers of older Gulf consumers 68
Figure 76: Age pride is strong among consumers across the age spectrum although older consumers feel that their needs are not being met effectively 69
Figure 77: Many older consumers are content with their age in Europe but the UK stands out due to the rapid decline in satisfaction with age over time 72
Figure 78: Self expression is important across the age range in Europe 72
Figure 79: US consumers are exceptional in their dissatisfaction with their present ages 73
Figure 80: Individuality and self-expression remain very important throughout the lives of consumers in the Americas 74
Figure 81: Japanese consumers aged over 50 are the least happy with their age 75
Figure 82: Self expression is important to many consumers in Asia Pacific 75
Figure 83: Many older consumers, particularly in Sweden, value experiencing new things 78
Figure 84: Older consumers in Germany consider trying new things to be important to their wellbeing 78
Figure 85: Russian over-50 consumers are particularly desirous of finding more excitement in life, deeply contrasting the low priority accorded to this in Germany and the UK 79
Figure 86: Emerging market consumers in Brazil of all ages show strong affinity for trying new things 80
Figure 87: Brazilians also increasingly place importance on new experiences as a driver of wellbeing as they age 80
Figure 88: Trends in Brazil and the US are contrasting as Brazilians continue to seek more excitement in life as they age 80
Figure 89: Many older consumers in Asia Pacific want to experience new things 81
Figure 90: New experiences are perceived to be important to the wellbeing of many older consumers in Asia Pacific 82
Figure 91: A high proportion of older Asia Pacific consumers are desirous of finding more excitement in life 82
Figure 92: Many consumers in Asia Pacific believe that they should reward themselves in retirement for the years of hard work providing for others 83
Figure 93: Older Russians place the most importance on brands that match their outlook on life 86
Figure 94: Credibility remains low for anti-aging products among over-50 Europeans in particular 87
Figure 95: Brazilian consumers contrast their US and global peers in the consistent desire to choose brands that match their attitudes and outlook as they get older 88
Figure 96: Anti-aging claims have particular credibility among younger consumers in the Americas preempting the signs of aging 88
Figure 97: Older consumers are not as keen on brands that match their lifestyles as other age groups in Asia Pacific 89
Figure 98: Credibility for anti aging claims remains low among Australian and Japanese over 50 year old consumers 89
Figure 99: Consumer socialization is occurring at younger ages as ""Kids Grow Up Young"" 91
Figure 100: Pester power is an important factor in childhood market dynamics and Kids' influence on household spending 95
Figure 101: There are differences between consumer values and attitudes 101
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