Fertility rates are collapsing across the world’s top economies, shrinking populations and upending markets from Canada to Italy and Asia Pacific. This was revealed during a webinar titled “Keys: The Ipsos Generations Report: Continuity vs. Rupture” on Thursday.
In 19 of the 20 largest economies, women are having too few children to sustain populations, forcing brands to rethink strategies for older, scarcer consumers.
“The number of children a woman will have in her lifetime is no longer enough to sustain the population. So what do brands need to do now to prepare for a world where their consumer base is shrinking and is older,” said Emilie Rochester, editor of the report.
The report dissects generational shifts through life-cycle, period, and cohort effects. Webinar host Simon Atkinson, Chief Knowledge Officer, Ipsos Knowledge Centre, stressed context: “Where and when you were born matters.”
Western generational labels like millennials often falter outside the U.S., he noted, urging marketers and policymakers to probe deeper than stereotypes.
Delays adulthood, stretches Golden Years
Young adults are lingering in prolonged “20-somethings,” delaying marriage and parenthood amid housing crises and soaring costs. At the other end, “omnigenarians” – septuagenarians to centenarians – are redefining post-retirement vitality. Sandwich generations in the middle juggle teenage kids, adult children, and aging parents, reshaping spending on travel and essentials.
The report spotlights overlooked millennials, aged 31-46, now prime consumers after a media frenzy 15 years ago. “They are slightly forgotten about today now that the focus has moved on to Gen Z and Gen Alpha,” Rochester said. Businesses ignore them at their peril.
Canada Endures Chronic Squeeze
Canada offers a stark warning: an “endurance economy” of unrelenting strain. Six in 10 citizens see life spiraling out of control, with housing affordability not expected until 2060. Optimism has eroded since 2010; short-term financial outlooks slid from +30 to +7, long-term from +32 to -3.
“We refer to this in Canada as the endurance economy… chronically strained we see that this cost constraint for the majority of Canadians going on,” said Mike Colledge, Executive Insights and Sustainability Lead, Ipsos in Canada.
Under-40s have “broken the generational compact,” abandoning dreams of homeownership and secure retirement. Boomers attribute success to merit; Gen Z sees fate. Happiness rankings tell the tale: over-60s at 8th globally, under-25s at 71st.
Price now disqualifies 60% of purchases. Governments patch with rebates, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has warned of “sacrifices and some time” to right the ship.
“Canadians under 40 no longer see a prosperous future or see a much less prosperous future than Canadians over 40,” Colledge added.
Italy rethinks aging assets
Italy, older and emptier, faces ballooning healthcare costs, worker shortages, and rising isolation. Yet private sector is adapting. “Age is no longer a good proxy for ability… older people need to be seen as a reservoir of skills,” said Chiara Ferrari, Head of Public Affairs, Ipsos in Italy.
Brands are normalizing aging with accessible designs, empathy-driven values, and longevity-focused offers. Clients crave scenarios, she said, showing proactive pivots despite policy gaps.
“The private sector has accepted… there are so many good ideas around,” Chiara noted. Three years after asking “Is Italy doomed?”, responses mix errors and promise.
Asia debunks stereotypes, braces for longevity
In Asia-Pacific, half expect to reach 100, exceeding global averages by over a decade, even as births plummet. Stereotypes crumble: youth aren’t frivolous tech addicts, elders are no Luddites. All generations prioritize savings, women’s roles as mothers, and reliance on the internet.
Differences bite. “Gen Z are insecure… trying to become independent,” said Javier Calvar, Service Line Group Leader, Ipsos in Hong Kong.
Millennials squeeze between kids and parents; Gen X plots “second acts,” often ignored by brands. Extra decades bring joy – but a quarter of retirement looms in poor health, straining finances.
Myths bust, markets morph
Workplace clashes? More life-cycle than generational, the report finds. Globally, “fertility rates are falling everywhere and it’s just going to be an unavoidable, unescapable thing no matter which country it is,” Rochester affirmed.
Ipsos urges fluid categories over rigid 15-year bins, tailoring to under-40 divides. Atkinson remarked that cohort effects signal profound change for marketers. From Canada’s weariness to Italy’s innovations and APAC’s crunch, continuity frays, rupture looms – but adaptation endures.
