Millions of pensioners struggle with Christmas shopping because of the obstacles of the High Street, from low shelves, lack of seats and deep supermarket trolleys.

Supermarkets came in for criticism just for their overly-narrow aisles and trolleys that were too deep to reach into, and also for how they ignored pensioner shoppers with their pricing strategies.
The report said: “People we spoke to in all the groups were dissatisfied with the widespread use of buy one get one and similar special offers that offer discounts for buying in bulk. “For those who either live alone or aren’t able to carry a lot home, these offers are seen as making it more expensive and more difficult to shop in small quantities.”
The report pointed out that it was foolish of retailers and manufacturers to ignore a group of consumers that accounted for a growing slice of the nation’s purchasing power – nearly £100 billion a year.
Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: The “consumer is king, we are told, but many in later life will feel they are relegated to a much humbler role in today’s marketplace. The attention the wider business world pays to them has lagged far behind their growing spending power.”
Though internet shopping is a godsend for many pensioners, many in their seventies or older have struggled to come to grips with the technology. Only 2 percent of people aged 80 or over had purchased goods or services on the internet within the last 12 months, the report said.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday suggested that just 32 percent of households in which a retired couple lived had internet access. This compared with 71 percent across the country.
David Sinclair, head of policy and research at International Longevity Centre and the author of the report, said: “This report highlights a big market failure. The fact that we have an ageing society is not a new one, yet far too many companies, big and small, seem blissfully unaware of the changes that are happening around them. There is a significant market advantage to be gained for those companies which will address the issues facing older consumers.”
(Source: Daily Telegraph)