They are very dynamic consumers Affluence is, of course, no guarantee of consumption. Many advertisers still think that the over-50s keep all their money in bank accounts when it’s not under their mattresses.

The most commonly held belief is that while outgoings decrease with age, so does expenditure. The typical senior, then, is first and foremost provident. Except where health is concerned, he will descend irremediably into miserliness, but will leave his descendants a sizeable inheritance. An elderly consumer will accordingly have few needs or desires, and will be content always to buy the same product, preferably the cheapest one.

Needless to say, the reality is quite different.

Affluence often results in the desire to treat oneself, whatever the age of the consumer. With the rise in importance of the post-war generations, who did not live through the same period of hardships as their predecessors, seniors have become the top customers for many products and brands. They are the leading purchasers of private cars, mineral water, dairy produce, cosmetics, luxury travel, electrical appliances, designer clothes, etc.

The tables below clearly indicate that seniors are positive, dynamic consumers.

As for the notion of over-cautious buying, it is refuted by all the figures and market research. Obviously, by the age of 50, many major items will already have been bought. Obviously, as the years go by, tastes have been formed and become harder to modify. Common sense indicates that whatever their financial situation, seniors will behave more rationally than their younger counterparts. But in no way does that stop them from consuming, in a more demanding and discerning way.