Senior Consumer Insight: 93.0% Feel Increased Food Cost Burden, 67.8% Change Saving Habits Amidst Inflation

Cosmolab (Company Name: Cosmo Health Co., Ltd., Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Takashi Kozuka), a marketing platform specializing in the senior demographic, has released a survey research report on 'Savings and Inflation' among seniors.

This report surveyed seniors aged 50 and over regarding the 'areas where the burden has increased due to inflation,' 'changes in saving behavior,' 'priorities in expenses to cut versus expenses to protect,' and 'future purchasing methods and expectations for public support.'
The findings revealed how saving among the senior generation is not merely about endurance, but is structured within a balance of life defense and ensuring peace of mind.

Cosmolab Homepage - Marketing services specialized for seniors
https://cosmolab.jp/lp/research/

Survey Topics

◆ Food and Utility Costs are at the Center of Household Financial Pressure
Regarding areas where an increased burden is felt, 'Food' (93.0%) stood out prominently, followed by 'Utilities' (58.7%) and 'Transportation (Gas/Public Transit)' (44.0%). Expenses most directly linked to daily life have the largest impact, and inflation is being perceived as a creeping sense of pressure spreading across all aspects of living.

◆ Saving Behaviors Have Already Transitioned into Daily Habits
Those who 'changed' their behavior in response to inflation reached 67.8%. Among the specific actions, 'Increased use of special sales and bulk buying' (58.7%), 'Reduced frequency of eating out and food delivery' (45.4%), and 'Started restraining electricity and gas usage' (44.0%) ranked highest. Many seniors are tangibly reviewing their purchasing methods and lifestyle habits, operating under the assumption of higher prices.

◆ Willing to Cut, But Determined to Protect Food Quality and Health
While the most prioritized expenses to cut were relatively evenly split among 'Food Expenses' (23.8%), 'Eating Out/Entertainment' (22.8%), and 'Clothing/Beauty' (19.8%), the expenses they most wanted to protect were 'Food Expenses (Quality/Safety/Nutrition)' (36.5%) and 'Health/Medical Care' (30.6%). As the inclination to save strengthens, how to maintain health and quality of life is becoming more important than merely seeking low prices.

1: In what areas have you felt an 'increased household burden' over the past year? (Multiple answers allowed) (Valid responses: 829)
The expenses considered to be increasing household burdens were overwhelmingly led by 'Food' (93.0%), followed by 'Utilities' (58.7%), 'Transportation (Gas/Public Transit)' (44.0%), and 'Daily Necessities' (42.7%). The stronger the realization of price hikes for indispensable life expenses, the more it shows that basic daily costs, rather than specific luxury items, are squeezing household budgets.

These results show that for seniors, inflation is perceived not as an 'optional expense' but as an 'unavoidable fixed burden.' When considering saving proposals or product appeals, it seems necessary to alleviate the burden of daily essentials before suggesting reductions in luxury spending.

2: Has your saving behavior changed in response to inflation? (Valid responses: 829)
Regarding saving behavior in response to rising prices, 'Changed' (67.8%) significantly outweighed 'Has not changed' (32.2%), indicating that inflation is prompting behavioral changes in many people. Price hikes are no longer just a matter of awareness but have led to actual revisions in purchasing and living patterns.

What is notable is that saving is no longer just a trend among a segment with high household defense awareness, but is becoming a standard behavior across the entire senior demographic. Future business proposals will likely need to assume they are targeting people who 'have already begun making some adjustments' rather than just 'people who are saving.'

3: How specifically has your saving behavior changed due to inflation? (Multiple answers allowed) (Valid responses: 562)
Regarding specific changes in saving behavior, 'Increased use of special sales and bulk buying' (58.7%) was the highest, followed by 'Reduced frequency of eating out and food delivery' (45.4%), 'Started restraining electricity and gas usage' (44.0%), and 'Reduced frequency/volume of purchasing daily necessities' (37.2%). Devising better shopping strategies and curbing daily usage volumes have become the core of saving strategies.

What can be seen here is a shift toward practical saving—'changing how to choose' and 'changing how to use'—rather than mere endurance. There is a strong inclination to reduce expenses by reviewing overall daily operations rather than just looking for cheap items, suggesting a high interest in saving designs that are easy to sustain.

4: When saving, what are the 'highest priority expenses to cut'? (Valid responses: 562)
Expenses cut as a priority for saving were closely contested among 'Food Expenses' (23.8%), 'Eating Out/Entertainment' (22.8%), 'Clothing/Beauty' (19.8%), and 'Travel/Leisure' (18.3%), showing that a wide range of expenses are being reviewed without skewing heavily toward any single item. It is particularly striking that food expenses, essential for healthy living, are included as targets for reduction.

Since food expenses, which should normally be difficult to cut, rank highly, it appears that saving among seniors is quite