Insights on Older People's Shopping Habits and Needs

Food for thought: Hearing the voice of older people Dr C. Towers and Dr Richard Howarth, Nottingham Trent University 1

The key questions.. 1. How important is food shopping ? 2. What shapes the shopping experience for older people? 2

Knowing older people Knowing older people 1. Social policies: Walker ( 2018) and pensions 2. Active Ageing : From Cumming and Henry ( 1961) to Kirkwood ( 2005, 2008) - heterogeneous- poverty- active rather than passive 3

Ageing and change Ageing and change Gale et al ( 2018) - frailty increases with age, from 6.5% in those aged 60-69 to 65% in those aged 90 or over. Etkind et al ( 2017) the numbers of people aged up to 69 years of age will fall whilst the numbers of those aged 85 and over needing palliative care will more than double between 2014 and 2040 4

Grey pound research (sorry for the Grey pound research (sorry for the terminology terminology its what some research uses) its what some research uses) Older shoppers have been broadly ignored by retailers (and researchers) until recently Brembeck specifically baby boomers see changes and differences around Europe cooking and health, gender considerations, UK cooking not as gender neutral activity food shopping? Attitudes to food and health changing taste? Others (Worsley et al) see impacts of values on habits (more than price) Timonen and O Dwyer meals on wheels and social role of food (cooking and eating) Kohijoki accessibility is not a key problem, store environment and shopping is.. Omar et al Scotland but mainly experience, service, price, product size, access etc Moschis et al segment is heterogeneous and v important Age UK importance of food and link to wellbeing, accessibility, online and offers (using buyer power) etc, partnerships are key 5

Knowing older people I lived in the orkneys and my two brothers lived together. One man took on the man s shopping habits, the other the woman s. Two men- he shopped for meat and the other for vegetables in my culture we like our rice and peas, we call them red peas, you may call them kidney peas. Get all those things over here. I don t get tins, I like to cook from fresh 6

What do ageing food shoppers want ? What do ageing food shoppers want ? 1. Trust ( Hardin 2002, Morgan and Hunt, 2004, Sekhon et al ( 2014). 2. Price and convenience ( Sekhon et al 2014) 3. Independence and social contact ( 2004) 4. Social event (Lesakova ( 2016 , Moschis 2003, Pettigrew et al 2005. Lesakova 2016) . 7

The research Qualitative and Quantitative : 1. Focus Groups 2. Interviews 3. Questionnaires 8

More seats in the store ? Age Very Quite Not Don't know important important important or can t say 50-60 14% 25% 54% 3% 61-70 25% 31% 40% 3% 71-80 24% 30% 41% 3% 81-90 46% 27% 24% 0% 90+ 67% 11% 11% 11% 9

More toilets in the store More toilets in the store Age Very Quite Not Don't know or can t say important important important 50-60 22% 38% 35% 3% 61-70 33% 34% 31% 0% 71-80 39% 36% 21% 1% 81-90 56% 24% 17% 1% 90+ 56% 33% 11% 0% 10

More help from the store workers at the self service check out. Age Very Quite Not Don't know important important important or can t say 50-60 13% 28% 54%3% 2% 61-70 24% 21% 48% 7% 71-80 20% 31% 38% 6% 81-90 27% 18% 35% 15% 90+ 56% 0% 11% 33% 11

Clear labelling of food stores ? Clear labelling of food stores ? Age Very Quite Not important Don't know or important important can t say 50-60 14% 41% 42% 0% 61-70 19% 39% 40% 1% 71-80 24% 35% 32% 6% 81-90 29% 36% 28% 3% 90+ 56% 22% 22% 0% 12

More Cafes in the store ? Age 50-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 90+ Very important 4% 13% 9% 27% 33% Quite 25% 23% 40% 24% 33% important Not important 68% 62% 45% 41% 53% Don t know or can t say 1% 2% 3% 5% 3% 13

Food Shopping as a means of independence- using the internet ? Aged Yes No 50-60 29% 71% 61-70 18% 82% 71-80 8% 92% 81-90 6% 94% 90+ 0% 100% All ages 14% 86% 14

Do you use the internet to shop for food? Who helps you retrieve items ? No one, I do this myself 66% Family member 14% Store Workers 11% Other shoppers 3% Friends 2% Health or Social Care Workers 1% 15

Independence. If I did not have a car that would make it more difficult. Bought this trolley with wheels but it doesn t bring much back. If no car- then I would use a taxi male, white, late 50s, near city 16

Independence Independence I have so many things that keep me independent but I would hate to be in a position where I was dependent on shopping to keep me mentally alive. But I have never been in that position so I am very luck. I think If I was house bound then this may happen at some stage male, city, 82 17

Food Shopping as a social event Loneliness Yes, it counter acts it for ( at the supermarket) I can also go to the caf , buy a cup of tea, a cake and someone next to you can start a conversation. Can t have this with the computer or television. 18

Over to retailers. Over to retailers . What we have so far found ? 1. knowing the market ? 2. Knowing the shoppers ? 3. Different worlds/different perceptions? 19

Over to you ? Over to you ? 20

Questions for discussion ? 1. How important is food shopping ? 2. if it is important, what is it about it that makes it matter? 3. Does it aid your independence ? 4. Is it a social event for you ? 5. have your wants and needs from food shopping changed over the years or stayed much to the same ? 6. What do you want from retailers ? What are your priorities ? 21

Questions 1. How important is food shopping ? 2. What shapes the shopping experience for older people? 22