Summary of Research Findings

As decreasing birthrate and aging population are in progress and as conventional consumption by the young generations and families is diminishing, the elderly has gained attraction as target customer at many companies, because the seniors are said to have room for money and time to spend, and because it is one of the important marketing activities to determine how to acquire their consuming power.

This research focused on the markets targeting the senior generations or on the enterprises proactively striving to attract the seniors, and found out the extensive market trends and the attempts for market entry. It covers not only the traditional senior-related markets such as long-term care, rehabilitations, and homes for the elderly, but also new categories such as leisure, sports, hobbies, and learning lessons, together with the trends at retail and distribution businesses.

For the past several years, various markets and enterprises have attempted to acquire senior customers, and the results have been “the fittest survives,” meaning that those succeeded continue thriving, while some business and services have already withdrawn from the senior market. The revision of long-term care fee payment system has significantly affected the senior-care (long-term care) and rehab market, turning home-visit long-term care and day-care services for the worse than the previous-year results, and raising the demand for home-visit medical care and home-visit rehabilitation. As for walking assistant instruments, rollators, canes, and food for the elderly, the products for the seniors who do not seriously need long-term care have expanded the market. The demand for diapers for the elderly and hearing aids are growing, in proportion to increase of the elderly population. On the other hand, the markets of those regarded as the conventionally popular among the seniors such as golf, dance lessons, Japanese culture classes, and art classes have failed to reach the previous year results, while the sports markets such as fitness, mountain climbing, and camps that also attract younger generations are on the rise. Cruising and bus tours are continuously showing strong demand by the senior citizens, expanding the market size steadfastly.

Because the research aimed at targeting the trends of 65 senior-related markets in 2018, the report does not mention the influence of COVID-19 pandemics in 2020.

Noteworthy Topics

Sports Business for Seniors Aiming for Multiplier Effect Based on Existing Know-How

Not a few sports leisure business is supported by the senior population. For instance, the golf players out in the golf courses mostly consist of those in 60s to 70s. Some of the skiers, ten-pin bowlers, and table tennis players are those middle-aged or elderly devotees who once retired from those sports but started once again after retirement, or having finished raising children, or for keeping health.

Many sports facilities are facing difficulty in attracting customers because of decreasing birthrate and aging population, and because young people tend to be reluctant in playing sports. On the other hand, fitness gyms have been thriving, as they have focused on acquiring senior customers from an earlier time. The main members of such gyms are those in their 60s or older, comprising the half of the entire membership when including those in their 50s. While senior members tend to be health conscious and have enough time to spend, the fitness gym operators are willing to raise the operation ratio in daytime on weekdays, matching the demands of both sides. For senior members, the fitness gyms are where they can communicate with each other, a strong motivation other than exercising to visit the gym. One-on-one personal training requires additional several thousand yen per session in addition to monthly membership fee, and the senior members with enough money are the primary customers. Some gyms have started expanding their realm of business by providing some programs with medical functions or long-term care services attached.

One of the examples of those fitness gyms that successfully attracted the senior population is “Curves” which is a small-scale women-only training gym characterized by their circuit training, with the users mainly the senior women. In March 2020, Curves Holdings Co., Ltd. spun off from the Koshidaka Group and listed independently on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which drew attention. The company launched the services for men on a trial basis, in an attempt to acquire male customers and not to limit their users to women anymore, and plans to expand the number of “Men’s Curves” to 30 locations by August 2021. Although the measures against COVID-19 prevention are a must, rising consciousness toward disease prevention and extension of healthy life expectancy is expected to boost the demand for such fitness gyms furthermore.

Research Outline