Demographic changes and the pandemic are propelling consumer-goods companies to take a fresh look at a group of shoppers who are often ignored: the elderly.
As people live longer and have fewer babies, the number of over-65s surpassed those under five globally for the first time in 2018, according to United Nations data, and the trend has accelerated since.
The pandemic has disproportionately harmed older people, which executives say has highlighted the importance of staying healthy later in life.
That shift is prompting companies like Nestle SA, Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Danone SA to launch new products aimed at consumers they say are increasingly interested in aging well.
“We clearly see healthy aging, even more now with the Covid world, as a huge trend,” Danone Chief Executive Emmanuel Faber said.
