Determinants of food expenditure patterns among older consumers. The Spanish case.

The continuously evolving lifestyles of European consumers are most noticeable in the elderly age segment, which, as a result, is drawing increasing attention from agrifood companies. The aim of this study is to perform an empirical analysis of the main determinants of food expenditure among elderly Spanish consumers, by comparing key variables reported in the literature, based on data from different years. The performed estimations yield a linear model with three statistically significant variables; type of household, level of education--a proxy measure for family income--and consumer's age. The results enable us to conclude that agrifood companies will need to deal with a changing demographic environment, and increase the flexibility of their supply to adjust to the new situation. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.