Undervalued, not well understood and often marginalised, meet “Greydollarfella”, a computer literate, home-owning man over 50 with an independent income. Is he an endangered species or a market opportunity? Glowing with youth, Generation X and Y, the emerging consumers of the future, frequently attract the most media and marketing attention. But more organisations are sensing the commercial and other opportunities presented by ageing populations, both globally and within Asia.

Research into shopping habits by Stella Minahan and Stephen Ogden-Barnes of Australia’s Deakin University, the “creators” of Greydollarfella, shows the potential. Their 2006 study of retailing in Australia, Japan and the US, concluded that many shops were poorly set up for this type of consumer, even though the average male in his 50s is wealthier and less time-poor than the younger man.