The age dynamics of the population of the world is such that the youth segment is in decline in absolute number in many regions, or showing only limited growth in the rest. The growth segment is now the over 40 years olds and particularly the 65 year plus segment. In some regions they will be a quarter of the population by 2029 and hence a very important market segment.

A ‘High Income’ households in China is defined as those with an income in excess of Rmb 120,000 in 2009. There are an estimated 4.4 million such households in 2009 – with two thirds of them located in just 43 of the 720 cities of China. This segment will triple in size in the next 5 years.