The reasons people do what they do and buy what they buy are the keys to understanding how to get them to buy more or to buy differently. Over time, these reasons change. The biggest change is in the over-fifty age group. Their health, physical activity, lifestyle, pocketbook, and attitude are key drivers. The IDDBA commissioned a study of 1,000 U.S. consumers over age fifty in order to look at the purchase drivers affecting their buying decisions and shopping patterns. Categories studied include:

• physical vs. mental age
• employment vs. retirement status
• dietary and health considerations
• marketing appeal and effectiveness
• packaging size and ease of use
• supermarket preferences
• convenience issues
• lifestyle attitudes

Thomas Opinion Research - 2001