Yakult is a probiotic Japanese milk drink. The document examines how age-friendly the Yakult brand is in Singapore and the UK. It finds that the brand's strategy and marketing varies in different markets, with Singapore targeting children and the UK being more neutral. The audit identifies issues like difficult packaging, inaccessible retail locations, and small font sizes that could be improved to better accommodate older consumers. The brand receives an overall age-friendliness score of 2.7 out of 5.

1. How age-friendly
is Yakult?
Yakult is a Japanese probiotic milk-like product.
Claims regarding the benefits of Yakult consumption range from
maintenance of gut flora, modulation of the immune system,
regulation of bowel habits and constipation and finally effects
on some gastrointestinal infections.
These benefits are age-neutral so we though it would be
interesting to compare strategies adopted by the brand in
Singapore and the UK.
The following is a small excerpt of findings from this Audit.
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2. The Age-Friendly company
www.age-friendly.com
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3. The scope of the AF Audit Tool
25 effects of ageing:
Mind
Senses
Body
200 customer touch-points
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4. Measuring the Customer Journey
The AF Audit Tool measures 200 touchpoints across the five
major customer experiences.
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5. The brand’s age position
Neutral
Targeted
at
adults
M UK
A
R
K
E Aus
T Age
I
N S’pore
Targeted
at
G children
Specific Age Neutral
PRODUCTS
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6. Overall Scores
Communications 2.7
Online 2.6
Retail 3.5
Product 2.2
Support 3.6
Score = 2.7
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7. OPPORTUNITY FOR
IMPROVEMENT
The following represent a few examples of where the
company needs to change to improve the customer
experience for its older customers.
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8. Issues – Strategy variations
• Dramatically different strategy in Singapore clearly excludes possible
adoption by older consumers in favour of kids.
• New lower-sugar ‘lite’variation has the potential to appeal to older
consumers.
Singapore
website
UK
website
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9. Issues - Packaging
• Difficult to remove the lid – little difference
between the length of the tab and the rest of the
cap.
• The contrast between the two ‘blues used on the
label is not sufficient for older eyes.
• Font size is too small to read even with reading
glasses.
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10. Issues – Retail Access
• Easy access from car drop-off point. Low depth
steps and ramp. No rails!
• Non-slip surface at entry but inside surface
slippery when wet.
• Escalator access to store.
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11. Issues – Retail shelf
Shelf location reflects brand age-positioning:
Singapore; low shelf, difficult to see and to reach
UK; more accessible shelf location
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12. TOP LINE ISSUES
• An overall score of 2.7 is not considered ‘age-friendly’.
• Across the three markets (Singapore, Australia, UK) the
brand applies some age-friendly practices.
• The lower-sugar variation of the product is more suitable
for older consumers – an opportunity.
• The foil lid opening should be reviewed to accommodate
the reduced finger strength and dexterity of older
consumers.
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13. To learn more about Marketing to
the Ageing Consumer and the AF
Audit Tool
Visit the website www.age-friendly.com
E-mail enquiries@age-friendly.com
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