Time Use and Adaptive Aging: Behavioral Entropy, Life Satisfaction, and U.S. Older Shoppers’ Behavior

This study addresses two gaps in aging consumer research: inconsistent definitions of older consumers and limited understanding of age-related behavioral change. Using multiple years of the American Time Use Survey, the study examines time spent in grocery and non-grocery shopping for adults of different ages. Guided by arousal theory and the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation model, it examines behavioral entropy (daily routine diversification) and life satisfaction as indicators of adaptive functioning related to shopping. The analysis provides a behaviorally grounded account of U.S. older shoppers and explains how shopping is embedded within day-to-day activity structure during later life. Results reveal remarkably consistent patterns for both grocery and non-grocery shopping and offer strong implications for retailing strategy and marketing theory.