When planning my shopping trip to feed the family, I try to get all necessary items for the week ― or even a couple of weeks ― so as to maximize my time for all the other to-dos I need to accomplish. If I forget something, I’ll likely wait until I need to do a small delivery order and add that item to the list.

My dad, however, loves making daily trips to the grocery store. A few times, I even have run into him chatting with the greeter, with whom he’s developed a friendly kinship. As a retired baby boomer, the regular trips to the bank, grocery store and other local spots help balance out his day and keep his mind fit.

According to research from 84.51° Stratum, my dad might be the anomaly when it comes to shopping trip frequency and baby boomers.

In a blog post titled “What an aging population means for CPGs and grocery retail,” author Katarina Weil, lead solution design consultant of customer foundations, writes that shoppers between the ages of 19 and 24 make approximately 34.3% more grocery trips than shoppers ages 75 or more.

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This becomes important as Weil points out that, by 2030, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old.

Given these points, highlights that consumer packaged goods brands might need to consider the needs of aging consumers and potentially adjust packaging, labeling and even ingredients to meet those needs.

In fact, ingredient supplier Treatt released Aug. 23, 2023, a TrendBite titled “How Generational Influences are Shaping the Beverage Market,” where it notes that baby boomers value health and traditional flavors. Noting an Innova report where these consumers seek out naturalness, and have a health-conscious mentality compared with younger generations, the insight points to tea as a solution.

“Tea, long held as the epitome of a good health drink in many parts of the world, reigns supreme with boomers, with growing interest in varieties such as green, jasmine, oolong and herbal teas,” the insights states.

However, as brand owners look to support the baby boomer generation as their shopping habits and preferences evolve, you can be sure that suppliers will be on hand to bring those prototypes to fruition. BI