University of Ulster - Power of the grey pound

Supermarkets should lend an ear to senior citizens if they want to keep their trade in the future. That's the message from consumer scientists at the University of Ulster who have been analysing feedback from "grey power" shoppers, whose gripes include overcrowding, checkout queues, lack of help with packing, unsuitable product sizes and a lack of seating. Doctoral researcher Lisa Meneely, who has just revealed initial findings at an international retail conference in Zagreb, Croatia, said: "For this consumer group, who have extensive purchasing power, shopping is not considered a chore but a chance for social interaction and an opportunity to engage with others in what is for some a lonely and isolated existence."