The effect of aging on consumer disadvantage in grocery retail services among the Finnish elderly

Western society is facing new challenges as the baby-boomers reach retirement years. Particularly in the grocery retailing business it is necessary to cater for the increasing numbers of elderly customers. This longitudinal study considers the accessibility of grocery retail services among the elderly by analysing the Finnish household panel data (n=263) gathered during the years 2001 and 2006. By combining the statistical techniques with GIS-methods the aim is to identify the role of aging on grocery shopping behaviour and the creation of consumer disadvantage. The results indicate that most of the elderly have not experienced significant difficulties in accessibility. As consumers age, they demand for high-quality products and services and they are willing to make an effort to satisfy their needs. However, the negative experience that aging brings about is the increased difficulty in coping with shopping in the store environment.