Experience, change and vulnerability: consumer education for older people revisited

Abstract

Everyday consumer transactions have the same potential for unexpected consequence whatever the age of the consumers involved. Young and old alike can find that products and services fail to live up to performance claims and that they are left with problems not easily resolved, or costs that are difficult to recover. While not overlooking consumer heterogeneity – especially on the basis of age – older consumers are arguably distinguishable in terms of the social and financial context in which they make decisions and attempt to redress problems. In 1988, attention was drawn to the need for consumer education to look beyond generic objectives to the specific situation of older people and their transactions. More than a decade later, in an allegedly consumer‐oriented society, the issue is revisited here to assess the argument's current relevance. Despite the increased availability of information for decisions and consumer protection, difficulties persist in the way information is presented or accessed. Chameleon‐like, old problems become manifest in new unfamiliar ways and invalidate experience. Consumer education today is as important as it was in 1988. Arguably, technological change means that the need for a better understanding of dangers, rights and redress procedures is greater than ever and the needs of older people in increasingly complex private and public sector transaction environments are all the more pressing. However, a fundamental revision of the way we approach the design of products, services and environments is needed to improve prospects for older consumers.

Food retailers' perceptions of older consumers in Northern Ireland

“…The considerable economic power of this generation has been well documented (Sherman et al. , 2001; Lyon et al. , 2002; Hollingsworth, 2003; Szmigin et al.…”

Competent consumers? Consumer competence profiles in Norway

“…In many countries, consumer education is now implemented in compulsory schools’ obligatory curricula (Brennan and Ritters, 2004; Lachance and Choquette‐Bernier, 2004; Purutcuoglu and Bayraktar, 2004; Utdannings og forskningsdepartementet, 2006). Consumer education is considered both a vital tool for protecting consumers in general (Coppack and Brennan, 2005) and a means to empower weak or disadvantaged consumer groups (Lyon et al. , 2002; Marlowe and Atiles, 2005).…”

“…Researchers and consumer policy‐makers alike have drawn attention to the fact that many consumers do not always act in an appropriate way to further their own economic interests. This concern is primarily related to groups of consumers with scarce resources, particularly old (Lyon et al. , 2002), young (Brennan and Ritters, 2004; Purutcuoglu and Bayraktar, 2004) and poor (Caplovitz, 1963; Andreasen, 1975) consumers.…”

The case for educated UK consumers: the National Consumer Council's consultation on consumer education

“…However, for some consumers it is difficult to work within this developing environment 5 . Product innovation and technical changes can also pose particular challenges for consumers 6 . They can find themselves worse off, not just as consumers who pay more but receive less, but also as citizens who become cut off from goods and services that allow them to participate fully in society.…”

“…They can find themselves worse off, not just as consumers who pay more but receive less, but also as citizens who become cut off from goods and services that allow them to participate fully in society. Older consumers may experience limitations in relation to access to information, the exercise of choice, ease of purchase and resolution of any difficulties 6 . There are also concerns about the targeting of the elderly by aggressive doorstep traders 1 .…”