Amy Bond, Assistant Librarian and Information Specialist, Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board
Gen X are an often overlooked generation. A lot of marketing research, and column inches, has been devoted to understanding the Millennial cohort, with attention now turning to unpacking the behaviours and attitudes of Gen Z. Talk of ageing societies has also led to interest in the Boomers from time to time. Gen X, however, seem to be generally ignored. Stylus warns that this is to ignore a potentially lucrative segment. Though they were strongly hit by the recession, and are less financially secure than the Boomer generation, they still hold a global spending power of $2.4tn, and are also expected to inherit 57% of the $68tn due to be left behind by the older generation in the next 25 years (Stylus, 2019).
A recent report from WGSN has outlined some of the key trends that food and drink producers should focus on to appeal to this generation. These tie in with some of Bord Bia’s Consumer Lifestyle Trends, in particular Community and Identity, Health and Wellbeing, and Responsible Living ("Bord Bia Consumer Lifestyle Trends", 2019).
The Community and Identity trend ties to this demographic’s desire for luxury in their lives. Luxury for them is not about conspicuous consumption, but rather about the cultural capital of being able display their knowledge about their food choices (WGSN, 2019). They value the tradition and craft that goes in to their food. If you tell them your story well, they will share it.
As they get to the stage of their lives where they are more aware of the ageing process, health and wellbeing is also becoming a key focus for them. While they are often seen as being the more cynical of the generations, their quest to stay fit and healthy means they do buy in to the latest diet trends (WGSN, 2019). If you do have a health focused product, make sure you are talking to Gen X as well, and giving them all the knowledge necessary to show their expertise.
Sustainability will continue to be of central importance to this generation. WGSN predicts that in contrast to the Boomers before them, they will not lose their ‘liberal sense of collective responsibility’ as they age (WGSN, 2019). They will seek out food that is sourced ethically, yet their cynicism means they will expect strong proofs behind any claims.
Irish Food and Drink producers should try to understand this forgotten generation. Many of the trends that appeal to the demographics they are sandwiched between are also significant for them, but at the moment very few brands are speaking to them directly. There could be rewards to be reaped for producers that make them feel seen and heard.
References
Bord Bia Consumer Lifestyle Trends. (2019). Retrieved 18 September 2019, from https://www.bordbiaconsumerlifestyletrends.ie/
Stylus. (2019). Gen Nexus: Are you Forgetting Someone?. Stylus. Retrieved from https://www.stylus.com/
WGSN. (2019). Gen X: Key Food and Drink Trends. WGSN. Retrieved from http://wgsn.com