CHICAGO, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- With baby boomers retiring, the U.S. older population is getting larger, but most food is produced and marketed to those ages 18-49, food experts say.
Baby boomers often say they want to live active, healthier lives as they age, yet relatively few food and drink products have been actively targeted to these aging consumers, which means this segment of the population represents both a challenge and an opportunity for food and beverage manufacturers, Food Technology Magazine reported.
Part of the problem for food manufacturers is that the more than 70 million baby boomers -- born from 1946 to 1964 -- span 20 years, and younger boomers tend to be more open to food and beverage products offering health messages, and might spend more on consumer packaged goods than the senior population segment, whose members don't trust these type of messages and have less disposable income. Marketers must walk a thin line of letting baby boomers know about products that could help them without making them feel old, the magazine said.
"You've got to find a balance between getting the message across, being human, and not patronizing them," Diana Cowland, Health and Wellness Analyst at Euromonitor International, told Food Technology Magazine.
