Love online shopping, love fitness, love weight loss, love travel... In recent years, these labels, which should be unique to young people, have been increasingly shared by a special group called "new elderly people".
A "New Elderly Internet Health Consumption Insight Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") released by Alibaba Health Research Institute on January 19 shows that this group of people born around the 1960s and entering the aging stage is becoming a wave of "fresh forces" that cannot be ignored in the field of digital health because of its unique characteristics.
Thinner, more beautiful and more stylish
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of "new old people" embracing healthy living on the Internet. The "Report" shows that compared with 2019, the "new elderly" who purchased health products and services through Tmall Pharma and Health increased by nearly 60% in 2021, and the corresponding consumption amount increased by nearly 90%.
"Before, I only knew how to watch TV dramas on the Internet, after the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, it was inconvenient to go out, the children taught us to shop online at home, and now we buy medicines on Tmall, and the express delivery is delivered to the home, convenient and safe." Zhang Guanghong (not his real name), a 57-year-old resident of Haidian, Beijing, said.
It is worth noting that unlike the traditional elderly, many "new elderly people" have passed on the appeal of "more beautiful" and "thinner" through shopping carts. For example, the number of "new elderly" people who buy colored pupils has increased by nearly 50% in two years, of which women account for nearly 70% of them; the number of people who buy masks and scar removal products has nearly doubled and more than tripled, respectively. In addition, among the drugs purchased online by the "new old man", orlistat for weight loss ranked first.
Tmall medical and health data also shows that the "new elderly" group is most enthusiastic about buying the health "eight-piece set", in order: intelligent sphygmomanometer, oxygen generator, belt, intelligent blood glucose meter, pocket ventilator, medical mask, medical mask and scar removal products.
Fitness travel goes without missing a beat
In addition to the pursuit of beauty, the "new old people" group also pays attention to fitness. Compared with 2019, the number of "new elderly" people who buy whey protein powder and muscle gain powder on Tmall Medicine and Health increased by 55% in 2021, and the number of people who purchased protective gear increased by 51%.
A better body is for better enjoyment of life. Previous research institutions have shown that the "new old people" group of "rich and idle" have become the "main force" of the tourism market.
Portable and lightweight health devices that can even fit into pockets allow "new old people" to take a "walk-away trip.". Compared with before the epidemic, the number of people who bought pocket ventilators on Tmall Healthcare increased by 92%, the number of people who purchased nasal washes increased by 59%, and the number of people who bought insulin pens increased by 74% in 2021.
Investing in health is more "willing"
Compared with the frugality of the traditional elderly, the "new elderly" group is more willing to spend on taking care of their own health. In 2021, the amount of flower gum purchased by the "new elderly" on Tmall Medicine and Health was 295% year-on-year in 2019 before the epidemic; the purchase of multivitamins increased by 164% year-on-year, and the purchase of ginseng increased by 106% year-on-year.
At the same time, Alibaba Health Research Institute also found that the number of "new elderly people" who booked physical examination packages for themselves through Tmall also increased significantly.
While caring for themselves, the "new elderly" who have "Internet freedom" are also paying more attention to the health of their families. For example, compared with 2019, the amount of children's vitamins purchased by "new elderly people" on Tmall Medicine and Health in 2021 increased by 198% year-on-year, and the number of young and middle-aged physical examination packages they purchased also increased significantly.
An interesting phenomenon is that the amount of folic acid purchased by the "new elderly" group in 2021 increased by 193% compared with two years ago. Folic acid is often considered a must-have for pregnancy.
"Soon after I got married, I received folic acid from my mother online, although it was sandwiched in a pile of vitamins, and I couldn't help but suspect her 'careful machine'." Post-90s girl Xiao Jiang (pseudonym) said.
Correspondent Gao Shang Yangzi Evening News/Purple Cow News reporter Xu Xiaofeng
Proofread by Li Haihui
Source: Purple Cow News