Online shopping of 40s exceeds MZ generation

Song Chae-won (age 51), a homemaker living in Yeouido, Seoul, logs on Coupang or Market Kurly app on her mobile when she needs to shop for groceries. She orders food delivery on her mobile app at least once a day to eat with her daughter who takes online classes at home. “I also buy pet food on mobile and watch movies on Netflix,” says Song.

For the first time last year, online shopping of mid-aged populations aged 40 or above exceeded that of MZ generation (millennials and Z generation). The middle-aged group has become the driving force of consumption in the contactless economy accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Hana Finance Business Management Research Institute on Wednesday, those aged 40 or older accounted for 51% of credit card/debit card statements made online, exceeding the payment value by teens to 30s (49%). In 2019, online payment made by teens to 30s accounted for 53%, outnumbering those of +40s (47%), but trends had reversed. “The middle-aged group, recognizing digital convenience, have become the driving force of online shopping,” explained Park Sang-hyun, an analyst of the Hana Institute.


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