Why more pensioners are trying extreme sports

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Supermarket Aldi is celebrating the people willing to grab life by the trolley handles and give new things a go, with a nationwide hunt to find the nation’s favourite hobbies.

Surprisingly, Aldi’s Specialbuys survey found millennials, who are renowned for being the thrill-seeker generation, would rather try their hands at more sedate past times that would traditionally be associated with an older generation, such as gardening (25%), crafting (17%) and caravanning (15%).

The nation’s love affair with Mary Berry continues as baking is currently the top hobby undertaken by Millennials (49%) and rated  as being more popular than going to the gym (40%). The same age group also list fishing (17%) and sewing (20%) as hobbies they enjoy, according to Aldi’s  Specialbuys research.

On the other hand to Millennials, thrill-seeking pensioners are desperate to try out more extreme pursuits (53%) with their bucket lists including: flying a plane (20%), scuba diving (14%), jet skiing (9%) and hang gliding (9%). It’s not just the older generation that are keen to give new experiences a whirl – jet skiing came out top overall, and if cost was no issue sky diving, flying a plane and car racing are all new hobbies shoppers would like to try.

Aldi’s Specialbuys experts looked into the UK’s favourite hobbies to celebrate the launch of its new TV ‘Specialbuy-ers’ ad, which shows what happens when shoppers encounter Aldi’s Specialbuys aisles. These have-a-go heroes are seen trying out things exuberantly and enthusiastically, not always with 100% success, but with energy and spirit that perfectly encapsulates the Specialbuys brand.

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, comments: “Our Specialbuys offering is what makes Aldi so unique, and with two thirds of the nation desperate to take up a new hobby, we are excited to be able to help our shoppers in a quest to becoming a ‘Specialbuy-er’.

‘We found that over 56% of people think cost is a huge factor when deciding to take up a new hobby, however with our Specialbuys offering every Thursday and Sunday, our customers can always find exciting and affordable products to discover on our shelves. We are proud to be able to make every day an amazing day, for our customers.” 

Aldi’s research also found that men are more likely to spend the most on taking up hobbies, as they spend £73.66 a month versus women who spend just £50.36. This comes as no surprise as 14% of men supposedly take up a hobby for some ‘me-time’. 26-35-year olds unashamedly take part in order to keep up appearances on social media as it provides them with Instagramable fodder, whilst 12% of Millennials do it to make sure they are seen to be ‘on-trend’.

The UK’s top 10 hobbies

1. Gardening
2. Baking
3. Swimming
4. Hiking/walking
5. DIY
6. Gym based sports (weights, yoga, pilates, etc)
7. Camping
8. Growing vegetables
9. Drawing/painting
10. Cycling

The UK’s top 10 extreme pursuits bucket list

1. Jet skiing
2. Flying a plane
3. Car racing
4. Segway riding
5. Sky diving
6. Scuba diving
7. Skiing
8. Water skiing
9. Horse riding
10. Bungee jumping