Slow sellers

Which products young people no longer buy

(Bild: thinkstockphotos.de)

Products such as lard, sauerkraut, condensed milk or coffee filters could increasingly become shelf warmers, as a study from Germany shows. This is mainly due to changing eating habits and the fact that the generation of rebuilders born before 1952 is dying out.

The GfK study lists various examples, such as animal fats like lard. This is still popular with older consumers, but is hardly bought by younger people. According to the study, 41% of sales of lard are accounted for by those rebuilding their lives, more than 36% by baby boomers (57 to 71) and just under 17% by Generation X (42 to 56).

Lard is increasingly being left on the shelf
Only 6 percent of sales come from millennials (27 to 41) and the even younger iBrains (12 to 26). Due to the trend towards a plant-based diet and the age of the relevant consumer group, lard will continue to lose importance, predicts retail expert and study author Robert Kecskes.

Plant-based alternatives on trend
In 2024, the share of sales of reconstructionists for everyday goods was 14%. The two younger generations - millennials and iBrains - together account for 29 percent. They are significantly more likely to choose plant-based alternatives for drinking milk and milk drinks, cream products, yogurt, curd cheese and desserts. People under the age of 42 account for almost half of sales of these products, while baby boomers only account for 6 percent.

Condensed milk, coffee filters and sauerkraut are having a hard time
Items such as condensed milk, coffee creamers and coffee filter bags could also have a hard time in the future. Reconstructionists and baby boomers each account for two thirds of sales, but millennials and iBrains only account for a good 10 percent. According to the study, filter coffee is brewed much less frequently in younger households. Canned sauerkraut and red cabbage are also less popular, with just over 15 percent of sales coming from millennials and iBrains.

Discontinued models of culinary heritage
According to Kecskes, food could "run the risk of becoming discontinued models of our grandparents' culinary heritage". With the decline in the share of reconstructionists, it is to be expected that some categories and brands will come under further pressure in the coming years.