Older people ‘bombarded' with ads for funerals, care homes and mobility aids
Older people say they are being 'bombarded' by campaigns for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids by 'out-of-touch' mainstream advertising, a study has found.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said more than a third of the UK population (35%) agreed that older people tended to be negatively stereotyped in ads, with other depictions such as forgetfulness, frailty or not being able to use technology also seen as potentially offensive.
While not offensive, depictions such as older people always being wealthy or grumpy, or ads that showed them doing extreme and unrealistic activities, were found to be cliched and irritating.
Almost half (49%) said ads using humour at the expense of older people were likely to cause offence.
Some 44% believed that older people were either underrepresented or not represented at all in ads, particularly in categories like fashion, beauty, technology and household goods.
Respondents also raised concerns about how ads were targeted, saying they felt 'bombarded' by promotions for end-of-life services such as funerals or cremations, life insurance and care homes.
The ASA's report, based on focus groups and a survey of 4,000 UK adults, said older people were not only living longer but also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities and the economy for longer.
However, many of those surveyed said that advertising too often painted a 'very different and outdated picture'.
The watchdog said ads showing older people as lonely, purposeless or powerless could be harmful – especially for those aged 75 and over, for whom these portrayals reinforced fears about ageing and social isolation.
It also flagged beauty ads that suggested ageing must be 'fought' as potentially harmful.
In particular, women aged 65 and over recognised the potential for these ads to cause harm to the self-esteem of women of all ages.
The ASA said the findings suggested the ad industry may be 'out of touch' with the reality of ageing.
Instead, the public wanted advertising to focus on individuals rather than their age, and portray a diverse range of later-life experiences.
The ASA said: 'When ads show older people as vibrant, capable and real, they help rewrite the story of ageing and how we perceive older generations.
'Not only this, but older people represent a significant market with substantial spending power, making them a vital audience for brands that want to stay relevant.
'While we're not currently proposing any new rules, we're hoping that by sharing this research, advertisers will understand how some portrayals of older people are landing with the public today – and where there may be unintended consequences.'
Kam Atwal, research lead at the ASA, said: 'As a society, we're living longer, richer and more varied lives.
'Our research reveals that some of today's portrayals of older people in advertising are not being received positively, and that the public want ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today.
'This is a real opportunity for brands to embrace the true diversity of later life and take a leading role in challenging outdated perceptions.'
Harriet Bailiss, co-head of the Age Without Limits campaign, run by the Centre for Ageing Better charity, said: 'We really welcome this excellent report from the ASA.
'We live in a society where ageism is the most common form of discrimination. We should all want that to end and we all have a role to play in making that happen.
'Advertising has such a powerful influence on society and can help bring about that change and be a force for good, as it has already been for changing other outdated perceptions.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
What is new ‘Nimbus' Covid variant? Symptoms as cases grow in UK
Covid-19 is once again making headlines more than five years after the initial outbreak, with a new variant spreading in the UK and several countries across the globe. The new strain, named NB.1.8.1 and also known as 'Nimbus', now accounts for just over 10 per cent of global infections, with cases now confirmed in England and Northern Ireland. While there is no evidence that the new strain causes more severe symptoms, experts believe that it in can infect cells more efficiently and can trigger gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation and nausea. Since first being recognised in January 2025, the omicron variant has spread to several states across the US, Australia, Thailand and is the most dominant variant in China and Hong Kong. What is 'Nimbus' NB.1.8.1? The World Health Organisation has designated the NB.1.8.1 as a 'variant under monitoring', and comprises around 10.7 per cent of all submitted sequences. A WHO spokesperson said: " SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1. "In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being detected." While it first appeared in samples at the beginning of this year, data from GISAID, a global data of genetic sequences of major disease-causing viruses, show that the first known cases were registered at the end of April. What are the symptoms? While evidence has suggested that NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily than other variants, the WHO has not observed any signs that it has an increase in severity. "Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily," Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News. "In other words, it is more transmissible." Common symptoms align with typical Omicron subvariants and include fatigue, fever and muscle aches. Dr Naveed Asif, GP at the London General Practice, warned the variant also has a distinctive symptom, a severe sore throat known as 'razor blade' throat, causing a sharp stabbing pain when you swallow, often at the back of the throat. So far, cases have been recorded in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as in popular British tourist hotspots overseas. However, given the dwindling numbers of people testing for Covid-19, it has become increasingly difficult to know the true number of infections. Why has there been a global surge in cases? The 'Nimbus' variant, as it has been dubbed, does appear to be more transmissible than previous strains, with notable increases reported in India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. Dr Chun Tang, GP at UK private healthcare centre Pall Mall Medical, said: 'NB.1.8.1 isn't too different from the Omicron variant, but it does have some tweaks to its spike protein, which might make it spread a bit more easily or slip past some of our existing immunity. 'That said, early signs suggest it doesn't seem to cause more serious illness, but of course, we're still learning more about it.' Do the Covid vaccines work against NB.1.8.1?
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Views sought over Black Country elective healthcare services
Patients are being asked to help shape health services as the NHS explores ideas to boost planned care through the creation of surgical up centres of excellence for planned surgery would improve outcomes and help reduce waiting times across hospitals, a partnership of some West Midlands trusts partnership, which involves the Dudley Group, Sandwell and West Birmingham, Walsall and Royal Wolverhampton NHS trusts, said it was working to manage rising demand for services and "improve access and patient experience".Patients are being encouraged to share their views on elective care by way of a survey that is open until 27 July. One concept is for the Dudley and Sandwell and West Birmingham trusts to bring together some of their surgical services at a Sandwell Health Campus to carry out routine procedures "for general surgery, orthopaedics and gynaecology".Other ideas being explored include developing new specialist services so fewer patients need to travel outside the Black Country for care lead for the Black Country Diane Wake said timely, "high-quality care is so important to our communities".She added "we want to give them the opportunity to reshape elective care to make it work better for patients and staff alike". Ms Wake said: "I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to share their views - your voice will help us build a stronger, more responsive health system for the future."Patients who are waiting for surgery, have recent experience of elective care or simply want to help shape a better future for local health services are encouraged to complete the survey, which can be accessed here. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
New schemes to ease flow of veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland
The Government has announced two schemes designed to ease the flow of veterinary medicines from Great Britain into Northern Ireland when a post-Brexit grace period expires at the end of the year. EU rules on the medicines will apply in Northern Ireland from January 1, which will place restrictions on the supply of products from the rest of the UK, with GB suppliers needing to make adaptations to continue to sell into the region. The changes have raised concerns among the veterinary profession that some critical products that vets traditionally source from across the Irish Sea will no longer be available. Government officials have undertaken 18 months of extensive research with the pharmaceutical industry to identify issues, and determined that the problem will not be as significant as some initial predictions, with only a small number of critical medicines – where no alternative is available – being discontinued in Northern Ireland. The Government is introducing two schemes to ensure vets can continue to access these medicines from GB once the grace period ends. The details were outlined in a policy paper published by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn on Thursday. The Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme pledges to streamline the process of securing the restricted medicines from GB. While vets will be asked to consider if a similar product is available in the EU, they will be able to proceed with purchasing it from GB if they determine the cost or time taken to import it from Europe would be prohibitive. Vets will also be able to pre-emptively secure the medicines so they have stock at hand when required. The requirement for a special import certificate to move the medicines from GB to NI will also be removed. The second initiative, the Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme, is being set up to monitor the industry to identify potential discontinuation issues as they emerge and ensure a supply of alternative medicines are made available. While the schemes have not been designed in conjunction with the EU, the Government insists the initiatives will be in full compliance with EU law. Mr Benn outlined the plans in a written ministerial statement. He said ensuring the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland was of 'critical importance'. 'To that end we have seen significant progress as large sections of the pharmaceutical industry have taken and are taking the steps needed to continue to supply veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland,' he said. 'This means that in the vast majority of cases, vets, farmers and pet owners will continue to have access to the medicines they need. But I recognise that even a small disruption could cause real difficulties, and that there are understandable concerns in those limited areas where supply may be disrupted and there are no alternative products authorised or available in Northern Ireland. 'Therefore, the Government is taking further measures to ensure access to veterinary medicines in such cases, as set out in the paper.' Mr Benn added: 'The combination of progress to date on the adaptation by industry and the measures set out in the paper means that the Government is confident that Northern Ireland will continue to enjoy access to the veterinary medicines necessary to protect the health and welfare of animals, and the livelihoods of farmers and veterinary surgeons. 'Further guidance will be issued in due course and we will continue to monitor emerging risks to animal health and veterinary medicine availability. Intensive engagement will continue through 2025 and beyond to address any gaps. 'Where they have yet to do so, we are encouraging the pharmaceutical industry to make any necessary changes as soon as possible.'
