An ageing population in Belgium?
SIRIUS Insight is an expert in geomarketing and has been active for over 30 years on the Belgian market. We closely monitor the characteristics of Belgian households and how these change over time. Thanks to this detailed knowledge, we have the most advanced data on the Belgian market. The Belgian population is constantly changing, and this affects every merchant and non-merchant company operating in a B2C or B2B2C environment.
Through a series of articles on Belgian demographics, you will discover the changes in the population structure over the last ten years and how these changes affect you. The subject of this second article: is the Belgian population getting older?
To answer this question, we looked closely at the age of the Belgian population in 2011 and in 2021. We used the age of each inhabitant and analysed averages, evolutions, etc. The conclusion is that the average age of the Belgian population has increased over the last ten years. Today, the average age of the Belgian population is 41 years and 6 months, whereas in 2011 it was 40 years and 5 months. Taking the entire Belgian population into account, the average age has therefore increased by 11 months.
If we examine the age data by region, we can see two important differences. Firstly, the population of Brussels is significantly younger. In Brussels, the average age is 37 years and 2 months, while it stands at 41 years and 2 months in Wallonia and 42 years and 5 months in Flanders. Secondly, the average age of the Brussels population has hardly changed over the last ten years, whereas it has increased by one year and 2 months in Flanders and Wallonia.
Between the municipality with the lowest average age and the one with the highest average age, there is a difference of almost 20 years. In Coxyde, the average age is 54 years and 7 months, while in Molenbeek it stands at 34 years and 8 months. As the map shows, the municipalities with the highest average age lie on the Belgian coast. In general, we can see that the Flanders population is older than the population of Wallonia and Brussels. The “youngest” municipalities are found in Brussels, Antwerp and around Neufchâteau.
The ageing of the population, and therefore the profile of consumers, brings about changes in the needs of the population. Age is an important factor in the consumption of most products and services, in merchant and non-merchant environments alike. Whether you operate in healthcare, retail, banking or any other sector, it is essential to take this notion and local variations into account in order to adjust your offer and your development strategy.
With 30 years’ experience, SIRIUS Insight can help you to define and locate your target group. We help businesses in all sectors to develop an efficient network of points of contact that meets the needs of your target group. We have the most up-to-date and advanced data on Belgian consumers, while respecting their privacy. Contact us if you would like to obtain quality support or have access to our different types of detailed data.
Look out for more articles on the changing Belgian population and its diversity.
In the coming weeks, we will also examine the changes in types of households and in income. You do not want to miss anything? Sign up immediately for our newsletter.
