Boomers big spenders when it comes to food

Whether they're cooking, dining out, feeding their children, entertaining, or eating on-the-go, Baby Boomers are not afraid to put their money where their mouths are when it comes to food, according to Baby Boomers and the U.S. Food and Beverage Industry, a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, a leading provider of industry-specific market research reports. 

78 million strong, boomers spend more on household groceries and food than their Gen X-Y counterparts and seniors over 65. Boomers aged 45-54 spend $123 weekly on food compared with $102 for 25- to 34-year-olds, and $75 for 65- to 74-year-olds. Over 12 million boomers spend more than $150 per week on household groceries compared with nearly 7 million 30- to 39-year-olds and only 2.5 million 60- to 69-year-olds. Overall, boomers make up the largest food spending demographic-22.8 million spending $125 or more for weekly groceries. 

With many boomers heading households with children, the trend to eat well is being passed on to future generations, as boomers-with a preference for fresh, natural, organic ingredients, as well as flavors that are exotic, sophisticated, and bold-spare no expense to incorporate the highest quality foods into their daily family life. 

"Boomers are spending more on food because they can afford to and because health, particularly anti-aging, is a major concern," said Don Montuori, the publisher of Packaged Facts. "They are a driving force behind the success of functional and fortified foods-as well as organics-and they prefer gourmet foods of convenience that meet the demands of their elegant yet hectic lifestyles." 

Combining extensive demographic and consumer behavior analyses, Baby Boomers and the U.S. Food and Beverage Industry provides a comprehensive look at the Baby Boomer market for health, natural and organic, gourmet, ethnic, and convenience foods.