Target older people online, says Age Concern

15th April 2008

Age Concern has called for online marketers to make more of an effort to target older web users.

Director-general of the organisation, Gordon Lishman, said that older people have considerable "spending power" on the web, but companies are failing to take advantage of this.

Too few websites cater to the needs of people over the age of 50 compared to the number aimed at younger age groups, despite the fact that three in five consumers in this age group have access to a computer, Mr Lishman pointed out.

He noted that older consumers use the internet to pursue hobbies, make new friends or communicate with existing ones.

Mr Lishman's comments came after a study from alljoinon.com found that the average monthly online expenditure of a consumer in their 60s is £48.78.

"Web providers need to switch on to the buying power and increasing internet usage of the grey pound," the Age Concern director-general said.