In todays developed world a mixture of improved health care and less family orientation in western culutres has resulted in an ageing population, whereby the eldery are living longer and familys are having fewer children.

This has resulted in the elderly becoming a massive target market for marketers. A study by the Boston Consulting Group has shown that globally, those over 55 will account for more than half the consumer spending growth in developed markets over the next two decades. Thus the development of the “Grey Dollar” becoming one of the most attractive market segments in developed economies.

Most noteable Japan and Germany are the two nations that are ageing at the fastest rates. Nearly 1/4 of the population in Japan is over 65, being dubbed the “Grand Generation”. This has led to a whole new focus for marketers in these countries, as older shoppers in supermarkets can access medical clinics, benefit from 5 per cent discounts on pension day, partake in any of 140 leisure activities ranging from calligraphy to hula dancing and, through the “Begins Partner” programme, find love.

Furthermore Kaiser, one of Berlin’s biggest supermarket chains, has fitted out its elderly-friendly stores with brighter lighting, extra-wide aisles that can better accommodate mobility scooters, non-slip floors and even emergency call buttons.

This brings up the question will we see this shift in marketing focus in North America? Will the Grey Dollar take over?

The graph above shows that Canada is also experiencing and ageing population.

I have no doubt that marketers here have and will continue to focus on the over 65 markets. However I feel it is unlikely they will become a main focus purely do to there low income and often basic lifestyles.