Half of sales of butchers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetables are made by those aged over 60

Half of total spending on traditional fresh produce, a category that includes fish, meat, cheeses and fruits and vegetables, is made by consumers over 60, Kantar said on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the Paris Agricultural Show . "50% of the traditional fresh produce business currently relies on customers over 60," the market research company observed in a press release, drawing a significant generational contrast regarding the consumption of these products from agricultural production.

On the one hand, seniors are major consumers of these foods "that they have known since childhood" , explains Kantar. They know how to prepare and cook carrots, meats or cheese and also have "more time and greater purchasing power" to buy them. On the other hand, "younger people do not have the codes, the culinary know-how, the time or the money" to prepare and therefore consume these products, explains Kantar. The company specializing in consumer trends relies on the number of transactions in supermarkets, traditional specialized stores such as large fresh supermarkets (Grand Frais for example), markets, fairs, or even specialized stores, for example organic. In total, sales of this type of product fell by 1.5% in 2024 and have been hit hard by inflation since 2022.

"It is an adjustment variable for households' wallets because of their price," comments Kantar. The trend has been downward "for at least 5 years" in volume, Kantar also observes. During the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns decided to contain it, sales of these products had increased significantly since the French were more at home cooking and had a "larger budget because it was mainly devoted to food," explains Kantar. "But post-Covid, the wealthiest households have returned to restaurants, which they had been deprived of for many months, also explaining the drop in their purchases of fresh products for meals at home," says Kantar.