WASHINGTON – The percentage of Americans age 50 and older who shop for groceries online is low (17%), but reducing the hurdles to online shopping could help many of them take better advantage of technology and convenience, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation in collaboration with AARP Foundation, Food Insight reported.

The survey also found that only 17% of older shoppers have ordered from a prepared meal delivery service, and just 10% have ordered a meal kit.

Two groups of older food shoppers stood out in the survey: those with high incomes and those who have mobility issues (and tend to have lower incomes). Typical older, online grocery shoppers are likely to be in their 50s, from the Northeast, college-educated, white and working full-time.

Online grocery shoppers with annual incomes below $35,000 are far more likely (30%) to report mobility issues.

Three-quarters (74%) of older online shoppers say they are attentive to food labels, compared to 59% of the overall 50-plus population. Both online shoppers and the general population want to know the expiration dates on food they buy (78%), as well as each product’s ingredients (70%). Online shoppers of all ages agree that it’s difficult to get nutrition facts, ingredient lists and nutrition information from online grocery providers.

Researchers concluded that online grocery providers should think more strategically and creatively about how to give older shoppers the information they need to make healthy choices when using technology to order foods and beverages.