One-Quarter Of Men Under Age 40 Shop ‘Frequently’.

Society has adapted to the evolving roles of men and women in the home and workplace over the past four decades — at question now is whether or not marketers have. Data suggests that they should: according to “The U.S. Men’s Market,” a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts, young men like to shop.

Based on data from Simmons Market Research Bureau National Consumer Survey (fall 2004), the report notes that 1 in 4 men under age 40 shop frequently, a percentage that drops to less than 20% for men in their fifties. Overall, according to the report, men account for more than 60% of aggregate income in the U.S. Single men between the ages of 25 and 44 who have never married have an aggregate income of $391 billion.

The men’s market is complicated and sometimes contradictory, particularly as later-in-life marriages and evolving gender roles affect home life. While men are participating more in stereotypical “women’s work,” a comparison of boomer and Gen-X fathers, again using Simmons data, shows that Gen-X dads are more likely to have conservative views about the role of women. Nearly 18% of 25- to 39-year-old fathers believe that “a woman’s place is in the home,” compared to around 15% of 40- to 59-year-olds.

According to Don Montuori, Acquisitions Editor for Packaged Facts, “As more married men participate in child-rearing and household chores and as younger single men become less concerned about traditional male stereotypes, old-school assumptions about family purchasing decisions need to be revisited and retailers need to adjust their marketing strategies to take advantage of alternative purchase trends.”

“The U.S. Men’s Market” includes an analysis of marketing and advertising trends and media usage in the men’s market is also provided. The report projects the buying power of male consumers and assesses strategic trends and opportunities in the men’s market.

For more information at http://www.packagedfacts.com