Signals

UK – Women aged 50+ are emerging as one of the UK’s most commercially powerful yet underserved consumer groups, according to a new study by YouGov. 

While 18% of women over 55 report having more than £500 ($677, €576) in monthly discretionary income, many feel fashion and beauty brands still fail to reflect their lifestyles, identities and aspirations.

More than half (54%) of respondents who feel younger than their age say brands understand women like them ‘not very well’ or ‘not at all’, rising to 58% among those who feel their age or older. 

Fashion appears to be the biggest point of friction, with 39% saying clothing brands do not cater for them, compared to 17% for make-up and just 3% for skincare.

Representation remains a key concern. Some 45% of women who feel younger than their age say there is a lack of models from their age group, while more than four in 10 (43%) say seeing people their age in advertising would make them more likely to buy. Functional factors dominate purchasing decisions, with product quality (74%), value for money (70%), fit (70%) and comfort (67%) ranked as priorities. But style still matters, with half saying design influences purchasing decisions.

Echoing insights from our Boomer Beauty report, the findings suggest brands relying on reductive anti-ageing narratives risk alienating a demographic seeking visibility, relevance and style on their own terms.

Read our Redefining Mid-life report where we explore what brands get wrong about mid-life and why Gen X women are the ultimate untapped consumer cohort.