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Published
Jan 7, 2020
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Ageism could see fashion brands lose out on £11bn by 2040

Published
Jan 7, 2020

Ignoring the 50+ age group could cost fashion brands about £11 billion in the next 20 years, a new report has found.


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Older consumers increased their spending on clothes and shoes by £2.9 billion, or 21%, in the period between 2011 and 2018, according to new research from the International Longevity Centre.

By 2040, people aged 50 and over are expected to be the fashion sector’s key consumer base.

But fashion brands have been accused of being “bewilderingly resistant” to catering for a generation of older consumers who want to continue dressing fashionably.

Diane Kenwood, an ILC Trustee said: “The potential of these consumers is huge and it has been shamefully side-lined. I do, though, sense a shift in attitudes starting to stir, and I’m hopeful that change will gather momentum.”

Among other complaints, older shoppers believe that the existing fashion offer for women aged over 50 left them feeling like “frumps”, and that there is a lack of stylish and functional clothing that addresses aging effects such as menopausal night sweats.

“Ageism means that the fashion industry still struggles to engage successfully with the older market, though it is worth many millions,” commented Professor Julia Twigg Professor of Social Policy and Sociology at the University of Kent.

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