The UK’s population is ageing, making the over-60s an increasingly important consumer market. Rebecca Thomson meets consumers from that generation to find out how they shop, what the industry needs to improve and which retailers are winning their custom.

In 1960, 6.3 million UK citizens were aged 65 or over. By 2010, this had reached 10.6 million and the predictions are that by 2050 there will be 19 million people aged over 65 living in Britain.

If retailers are looking for a growing market, this is it. The last of the baby-boomers – the children born between 1946 and 1964 in the years following the Second World War – won’t turn 60 until 2024 and older shoppers make up one of the fastest growing consumer groups in the UK.

But while they might wield economic power, the so-called silver shoppers don’t always feel they are well catered for. Retail Week’s exclusive focus group, conducted with research company Discovery, found this generation feels it is being neglected by many retailers, and that quality of service and products is dwindling. This generation also feels retailers could do far more to cater for its shopping habits and tastes.

As 63-year-old Penny McDonagh says: “There’s a gap in the over 60s market. I struggle to think of a retailer getting it right in our age group.”

Frustrated shoppers

To gauge the views and retail preferences among the over-60s, Retail Week and Discovery gathered a group of 14 shoppers of that age group from north London to discuss their shopping habits in depth. They shared everything from their favourite retailers to their biggest bugbears and, most importantly, what retailers can do to improve their offer for older people.

In general, they feel that shopping can be a waste of otherwise valuable time, often stressful and frustrating.

This generation’s quality of life is improving, and long gone are the stereotypes of grandmothers who knit and grandfathers with pipes and slippers. Today’s older shoppers are active, purchasing everything from clothes to big-ticket items, and they have a wide range of interests – they are passionate about subjects from rare 1970s music to travel and real ale. They say they also rarely feel as old as their years, with most feeling 10 years younger.

So how are retailers catering for this consumer group? While the focus group members were happy to point out good service and great products, they also highlighted many areas with room for improvement. And while some retailers – notably John Lewis and B&Q – often get it right, overall these shoppers are disillusioned by retailers and the shopping experience. “We feel this generation has fallen out of love with shopping,” says Discovery managing director Alan Hathaway.

One main issue is that they feel ignored by retailers, despite their spending power, in favour of younger shoppers and families. “The over-60s market is growing and we all have disposable income,” says 64-year-old Alan Ellwood. Penny McDonagh adds: “I would spend far more money if I could find what I wanted.”

Fashion failings

The shoppers feel particularly let down by the fashion sector. The list of retailers catering for younger shoppers is comprehensive – Asos, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Primark for instance. By comparison few cater for older shoppers, particularly older women. Christine Fryer, 63, says: “We are not well served for clothes. There are more shops for young people than for our age group.” She says Principles, now only available at department store concessions, was a popular retailer.

“It was aimed at my age group but it was fashionable as well. There’s nothing like it now.”

The brands that do attempt to target older women often seem to get it wrong, making clothes that are too frumpy for a generation that feels much younger than its years. Clare Hutchinson says: “We grew up in the 1960s with the miniskirt. We don’t want frumpy clothes.” Shoes are a particular challenge – 65-year-old Sylvia Page says she travels two hours to an independent store when she needs them, because she knows she’ll find something there she wants. “I have trouble with shoes. I travel to the same store because I know they’ll have shoes that will fit me,” she explains.

Marks & Spencer is traditionally the older shopper’s destination of choice, and it generates more opinions than any other retailer during the discussion. While the shoppers are fans of its menswear and food departments, its womenswear comes in for criticism. Penny McDonagh says: “M&S has moved away from our age group. I find it’s getting more and more difficult to find anything in there that fits me.”

One trend that touches most retail sectors is a lack of brand loyalty. “There was no sense of real loyalty other than the functional value of knowing that the store provided what was needed at that time,” says Discovery’s Hathaway.

This is connected to a sense that many retail brands have lost their identity and are not connecting with their generation. “M&S has gone down – I don’t know whose direction they’re being pulled in,” says Clare Hutchinson. “My children wouldn’t go there, but neither would I.”

This generation shops in an individualistic way, mixing own-brand products with branded goods and making purchasing decisions based on their individual preferences. “It’s about personal taste,” says Dave Waller, 63. “Once you get to our age you know what you like and you tend to stick to it.” But there is also a tendency towards savvy ‘pick-and-mix’ shopping. While long-standing brands are still important, this generation is equally happy to shop in lower-end retailers for certain products – at Sports Direct for sports goods or H&M for men’s clothes, for example.

When it comes to groceries, most shoppers say they choose their supermarket based on which store is closest, and most are loath to try another store because they like knowing where products are. Martin McEnery, 71, says familiarity is particularly important in grocery stores, and Kath Cole, 65, agrees. She says: “I detest going to supermarkets that I don’t know because you don’t know where anything is. Lots of choice is good but it slows you down.”

Time is money

Speed and efficiency are important factors, with shoppers keen to get in and out of stores quickly. Those who have retired might have a little more spare time, but they don’t want to spend it traipsing around shops looking for specific products. They resent retailers that take their time for granted.

“If I’ve decided I want something I’ll go to the shop, buy it, and come out. I don’t browse,” says Dave Waller. Alan Ellwood says: “If I see what I need and buy it, I’m happy. I get very frustrated if I have to go from shop to shop.”

For others, amenities are important. Kath Cole, for instance, says cafe visits are a key part of the shopping experience. “I haven’t got very much staying power. If I’m out shopping I like to stop for a coffee and gather my thoughts,” she says. “If I can have a sit down, I may go on a bit afterwards.”

The overall shopping environment is also crucial. Westfield Stratford City, which many initially visited out of curiosity, was deemed well-organised, with good food and space. Other malls and individual stores can be too overwhelming and unorganised, however. Clare Hutchinson says of TK Maxx, for example: “Everyone tells me it’s wonderful but I can’t stand it. The atmosphere of it all puts me off, it’s so messy.”

While speed and convenience are crucial, quality is also imperative – both of service and products. For many, specialist retailers such as independent furniture store Fishpools in Waltham Cross and Dunelm Mill reflect these values. As Sue Young, 63, says, her generation is willing to save for good quality products. “We think differently from the youngsters,” she says. “We wait until we can buy something. The younger generation want it now.”

“Our generation looks more to not buying lots but buying good quality,” adds Martin McEnery. “We always go for what will last, while the younger generations are more into what’s fashionable – there’s a big difference.”  

Multichannel matters

One striking characteristic of this generation is its open-mindedness. While some of their shopping behaviour is based on habit, they also like to try out new experiences and innovative products. Their attitude to multichannel initiatives such as click-and-collect highlights this. Many praise retailers such as Argos and B&Q for their click-and-collect services.

The group’s overall opinion of online shopping is mixed, however. It has become an integral part of their interaction with retailers, with many regularly buying or researching products online. “The internet has transformed shopping,” says Martin McEnery. “If you are looking for something strange or off-beat, in the old days you’d have to wander around. Now it’s at your fingertips”.

This generation likes online shopping for its convenience. “It’s less frustrating because if you get fed up you can just turn the laptop off,” says Alan Ellwood. It is also popular at Christmas, when it makes buying presents for grandchildren easier. Amazon is a key brand for the group, and many use it as a one-stop shop to find specific items. Categories used by stores such as HMV can be disorientating, while searching on Amazon allows them to locate an item quickly. However, some also fear the online giant might be getting too all-encompassing. “Amazon worries me,” says Kath Cole. “I think it’s going the way of Tesco, it’s trying to handle far too much.”

Some have used eBay to purchase – “I bought a rare tape recorder from eBay.

I bid for it and I got it – simple,” says 68-year-old Geoff Simpson. Many purchase at a fixed price rather than through an auction.

There are some worries about online shopping, however. Paying online can cause anxiety, and they look for recognised brands to reassure them.

Other barriers to online shopping include returns and deliveries. “Returning things becomes an absolute nuisance,” says Sue Witting, 61. And again this generation resents the assumption they should be at home to receive deliveries. “It’s very annoying, assuming I’m always free,” says Kath Cole.

Mobile connection

No matter to what extent these shoppers use online, all are aware of and engaged with new services and technology. M-commerce isn’t quite on their radar yet, but they aren’t opposed to the idea.

As for bricks-and-mortar retail, the 60-plus generation is well informed about the challenges facing the high street – from expensive in-town parking to the growth of ecommerce. They may often shop on local high streets with independent stores – Whitstable in Kent is popular – but are also aware that their shopping habits are part of the problem.

The shoppers prefer one-location shopping, often eschewing the local high street in favour of out-of-town developments, supermarkets and shopping centres. “Everyone is shopping online or going to shopping centres because the parking is better and you’ve got everything in one place,” says Geoff Simpson. But the shoppers have sympathy for retailers. Sue Young says: “I think we should try to save our high streets. The situation is very sad. The rents are too high for the shops.”

As lifespans increase and lifestyles improve, older shoppers are defying the stereotypes. They might have preferences shaped by decades of shopping but, far from being stuck in their ways, they are dynamic, opinionated and engaged with everything from technology to topical retail debates.

Their verdict on today’s retail offer sounds a cautionary note, however. That many retailers still seem to ignore or misunderstand this group should be concerning – as older consumers’ economic power increases, the services targeting them must evolve to meet their needs.

Happy shoppers - Popular retailers

  • John Lewis Members of Retail Week’s focus group session, carried out by Discovery, say John Lewis and Marks & Spencer have strong customer service, which generates an emotional connection for them.
  • Marks & Spencer Along with John Lewis, Marks & Spencer has a store credit card, which is a popular service with this age group, along with a good click-and-collect offer.
  • Boots The Boots Health Club, which provides special offers, is targeted at the over-60s, and Discovery research executive Dani Verrall says there is awareness of this among older shoppers. Shoppers like Boots’ wide range of brands, which includes plenty of own-brand choice. The Advantage Card is also the most popular loyalty scheme.
  • Argos The shoppers like Argos’s simplicity and efficiency, allowing them to choose products at home and pick them up in store. Its limitations, shoppers say, are a lack of browsing in store and a lack of service. But for purchases where no assistance is needed, it’s a popular choice.
  • B&Q The focus group shoppers find B&Q welcoming to their age group, and its click-and-collect service was highlighted for its efficiency. The DIY retailer hires older store staff and there is a sense that it makes an effort to market to this group of people. Home and gardening products are an important category for the over 60s, who are settled in their homes and want quality products and knowledgeable staff.

Targeting older shoppers - rights and wrongs

  • Older shoppers appreciate retailers who market to them directly. While they are sceptical of conventional advertising, they want to feel that retailersare mindful of them. Employing older staff and running savings schemes for older shoppers are good examples of that.
  • Good customer service is vital. The group highlights electronics retailer maplin for its good service, but criticises Currys and Comet’s staff – they were seen as inexperienced.
  • Older shoppers are often more aware of the physical aspects of shopping, such as pushing a trolley, carrying bulky items or the need for breaks. Retailers should consider this when designing stores and services.
  • This age group responds well to convenient services such as click-and-collect.
  • This age group shops online for mainly practical reasons. They don’t tend to browse online but are more likely to research products and buy in-store.
  • Pushy sales people are not popular. While the over-60s respond well to attentiveness, they don’t like to be given the hard sell. “Staff shouldn’t be too pushy,” says Mick Cook. “I dislike it when someone just wants you to buy something.”
  • Older shoppers avoid bland brands with no personality. This generation feels many retailers have lost their personality and fail to connect with older shoppers.
  • Confusing store layouts will put older shoppers off, as they don’t like to feel disorientated. They are put off by cluttered stores.
  • Vouchers and loyalty schemes are popular, but retailers should avoid making voucher schemes too generic.
  • Discovery and Retail Week spoke to 14 people split into two focus groups of two hours each in June. Respondents were all over 60 and from a wide socio-demographic spread.