Single Households Accelerate

AUSTIN, Texas – More U.S. households consist of a single person who may not want to buy eggs by the dozen, 24-packs of paper towels and full-size cakes, the Wall Street Journal reports. Consumer products companies and retailers are starting to notice that solo shoppers want smaller packaging and single-serve options.

More than 35 million Americans live by themselves—that’s 28% of U.S. households, and up sharply from 13% of households in 1960 and 23% of households in 1980, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We have to go beyond the paradigm of the middle-class family of four for growth, so smaller households have been a huge focus for us,” said Jen Bentz, senior vice president of research and development for Tyson Foods Inc.

But singles don’t want products to just be smaller. Many desire small appliances but large closets, and one large roll of toilet paper instead of several smaller ones. And increasingly, they live in urban areas and are willing to spend more for products that fit their busy lifestyles.

For Procter & Gamble Co., researchers found two segments of single-person households: seniors and urban millennials. The company developed a huge roll of toilet paper that both groups found easier to use.

General Mills Inc. addressed this with its Betty Crocker unit that had thought individual households meant more time for baking. “But when we went out to talk to consumers, we heard the opposite,” said Jeanine Bassett, General Mills vice president of global consumer insights. “They are busy.” Betty Crocker developed single-serving packaged desserts and the Mug Treats single dessert line.