absorb information (prior to, during and after consumption) and the consequent
perception and observation (experience, knowledge, recollections etc.) lead to a
distortion rather than a crystal clear rationality, and this distortion might even be
further exacerbated by unconscious factors.
The differences between the consumption habits of the young, middle age
and elderly generations are undoubtedly clear (Cseres-Gergely–Molnár, 2008).
Aging as a universal process has generated new requirements for food production
and processing, as well as for the production of cooking tools. Nevertheless,
marketing has continued to focus primarily on the younger generation and has
seldom noticed the demands of the elderly, even though they represent a great
market potential. Developed countries have taken notice of the aging society and
have started to adapt their strategies to their new needs by introducing “seniorfriendly”
products to the goods and services market (Pettigrew, 2005). These rapid
changes have raised the question: to what extent will the goods aimed at the current
seniors suffice the needs of future seniors. Expenditures in developed countries
indicate that so far, foodstuffs have represented a major share in the overall
consumption, but we can realize signs of a decreasing trend. We are living in a
time of expanding goods and services not linked directly to simple subsistence. In
general we can say that a part of income spent on foodstuffs (with some
exceptions) has been decreasing and we are facing a quantitative saturation
(Keszthelyiné, 2004; Lehota, 2004). The desire to preserve good health is a new
phenomenon of growing importance. We can presume that the Hungarian society
will also start paying more attention to the quality and origin of the goods it buys.