October 27, 2025 – It is important to consider generational differences because the average age of the global population is going up. Manufacturers globally should consider generational differences when they innovate and market new products. Some product features will attract consumers in all generations, and other features will need to be differentiated based on the generation.
Generational Similarities and Differences
The different age groups share various concerns and values. They face pressures regarding budget, seek ways to reduce stress, have trouble sleeping, want to age in a healthy way, and try to exercise and eat a healthy diet. However, different products appeal differently across generations. Innova’s consumer insights research indicates that older consumers are attracted to products that are traditional, fresh and natural, and straightforward. They may be looking for solutions that address their particular health concerns and goals. Younger consumers may be more attracted to physical, social, mental health, and emotional benefits that are delivered with trendiness and adventure.
Strategies for Addressing Generational Differences
Because desires may be different for different age groups, companies need to plan strategies for balancing these generational differences. Some examples include deciding how to use digital and traditional communications channels, address healthy eating strategies such as avoiding or boosting ingredients, adjust package sizes for smaller versus larger households, and consider ethical practices like socially responsible, sustainable, and eco-friendly. Innova’s consumer insights research signals that success can come to brands that balance traditional and trendy, targeted health and overall health, and whimsical and practical.
Choosing Features That Cross Generations
To appeal to mainstream audiences, consumer insights research suggests that brands need to offer features that span across generations. Populations are getting older so brands that are positioned for younger generations may seem less relevant to consumers as they age. It will be essential for companies to choose features and benefits that address common situations, for example, pressures regarding money, the need to reduce stress, and ways to have a better night’s sleep. In addition to these features, products have to maintain core features around flavor, pricing, nutrition, and clean labels and ingredients. Another essential feature that crosses generational differences is indulgence because consumers often use food and beverage products as an escape from daily pressures.
Creativity and Energy Attract Younger Generations
Younger generations of consumers often are attracted to creativity, heightened sensory features, enhanced nutrition, and social media potential. Brands need to find the balance between appealing to younger consumers, who could become their long-term customer base, and retaining older generations. One strategy is to look for food and beverage features that could go viral on social media. Another is to feature on-trend hero ingredients like protein. Also, brands can address trending health concerns like brain health, focus, mood, and energy. Because younger generations often change everything at once, they may be attracted to products with many different benefits. Beauty is another area of interest, both for themselves and for product packaging features. Success factors could include eye-catching packaging, great tastes and flavors, and high quality.
Older Consumers Seek Fresh and Natural
According to Innova’s consumer insights data, as consumers get older, their priorities change toward products that are fresh, natural, and clean. They also are attracted to products that are local and authentic. These features connote quality to the older consumer. Older generations seek tradition and are apt to look for product packaging and labels that communicate tradition through language and visuals. Older consumers may be facing specific health conditions and could be looking for targeted and personalized nutrition solutions in food and beverage products and in supplements, highlighting another generational difference. Products need to have familiar and trusted ingredients. The combination of features that could appeal to the older consumer includes tradition, familiarity, high quality, smaller portions for reducing food waste, and solutions that make scratch cooking faster and easier.
What’s Next for Addressing Generational Differences?
Several actions in the future can help brands and manufacturers position products to appeal to a broad range of generations. The first is to innovate products that are budget friendly. Both the youngest consumers – Gen Z – and the oldest – Boomers – may be under financial stress. They will be looking for products that offer value and value-added features. It will be important to offer products for older generations that are fresh and natural, with a clean label and clean ingredients.
Products that could appeal to both younger and older generations will offer multi-dimensional features and enhanced nutrition that appeal to younger generations along with personalized health and condition-based features for older adults who are looking for ways to age healthfully.
Younger consumers also will seek products that align with their values. They also are most likely to embrace plant-based products. This could align with the freshness, naturalness, and authenticity sought by older generations. Older adults also judge safety and quality based on fewer negative ingredients in combination with clean label features. Recognizable ingredients connote clean label for Boomers and quality and safety for Millennials and Generation Z.
Millennial and Gen Z consumers are likely to drive viral food and beverage trends that then could engage the older generations. Product information needs to be honest and transparent and can be delivered via social media to younger generations and via packaging and traditional media for older consumers. Priority benefits will include stress reduction and sleep supporting ingredients for older consumers and food and beverage excitement and surprises for younger generations. Finally, a combination of traditional and nostalgic dishes plus unique and adventurous mash-ups could appeal to both young and old.
This article is based on Innova’s Generational Differences – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more.