China's elderly drive growth in online shopping

China's elderly have shown a growing demand for online products and services thanks to their increasing incomes, easier access to online platforms, and the nation's improved social security foundation, according to a recently released report by the China Research Center on Aging and a research center under the Taobao and Tmall Group. The report shows that seniors have favored online purchases of not only daily necessities, clothes, and foods, but electronics, smart products, and jewelry.

The report is based on research into the consumption habits of seniors aged 50 and above on platforms under the Alibaba Group — including Taobao, Tmall, and Taobao Shangou, the online food delivery platform — from 2023 to 2025.

The report classified people aged 50 to 59 as "reserve seniors", people aged 60 to 69 as younger seniors, and those aged 70 and above as seniors with older ages.

The report said that, in 2025, the elderly users of these platforms took up nearly 24 percent of the group's total active user base, with the number increasing by 4.63 percentage points from 2023.

It's noteworthy that the seniors have increased consumption of goods and services to please themselves in recent years, for example, tourism products and cosmetics, showing their pursuit for a higher life quality and mental satisfaction.

Though seniors have great consumption potential, the report noted that seniors have a weaker awareness and ability to consume rationally. It suggests that the government continues improving pension security for seniors in order to increase their disposable income, and companies and platforms to improve their services and product quality and guide the seniors to consume rationally.

As of the end of 2025, China has 320 million people aged 60 and above and that number is projected to exceed 400 million in 2035, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency, with China's "silver economy" market reaching over 30 trillion yuan ($4.5 trillion) that year.