Around the table.

Future stories
of the seniors & food in Nordic Countries
Satu Niemi // Design Driven Foresight Course Project 2017-10-27
 1. BACKGROUND TRENDS
AGING
POPULATION
&
FOOD OVER-
CONSUMPTION

2. THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

FOOD VALUES

3. THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

FUTURE SENIORS

4. THE SENIORS AND FOOD IN FUTURE

TIMELINE &
STORIES OF 70+
4. REFERENCES
LINKS
 BACKGROUND TREND
AGING
POPULATION

By 2030 almost one fifth

of the global population will
be over 60 with their own
demands and aspirations
(1)
 WHAT ARE THE
IMPLICATIONS
OF AGING

Affecting all sectors, for example:

pressure on health care systems

pressure on housing systems

pressure to raise statutory pensionable ages

increasing the volume for using savings

increasing business opportunities

(5_ http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_food_Survey_2015/$FILE/EY-food-Survey-2015.pdf
 WHY
POPULATION
IS AGING

(2_ http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WPA2015_Report.pdf)
(2_ http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WPA2015_Report.pdf)
 BACKGROUND TREND
OVER-
CONSUMPTION

In less than eight

months, humanity
has exhausted
Earths budget for
the year.
(3)

(3_http://www.footprintnetwork.org)
 BACKGROUND TREND
OVER-
CONSUMPTION

Food demand makes up

26% of
the global Ecological
Footprint

1. Resource inefficiency in food

production.
Animal calories are significantly more resource
intensive than plant calories to produce.

2. Food waste.
About one third of the food produced in the
world for human consumption, 1.3 billion
tonnes every year gets lost or wasted

(4_ http://www.overshootday.org/take-action/food/)
(3_http://www.footprintnetwork.org)
 WHAT ARE THE
FOOD VALUES
IN NORDIC
COUNTRIES
When speaking
about future
trends in the
food industry
two main focus
areas can be
identified: omni-
channel on one
hand and back-
to-basics on the
other (5)

(5_ http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_food_Survey_2015/$FILE/EY-food-Survey-2015.pdf
 WHAT ARE THE

Nordic consumers predict that FOOD VALUES

they will eat in 2020:
(according to the spontaneus interview for EY, 2014)
IN NORDIC
COUNTRIES
more vegetarian food 34%
BY
CONSUMERS
more fish 31%

more chicken 23%

- Ecological raw ingredients
more proteins 23% - Locally produced food
- No additives
- Minimal impact on the environment
less meat 24% - Allergens
- Free from lactose and gluten
- Less sugar
less carbohydrates and fat 27% - Less fat
- More natural products
- Ecologically grown

- Convenience in terms of facilitating

the consumers daily lives.
- Time saving solutions for instance,
home delivery and ready meals

(5_ http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_food_Survey_2015/$FILE/EY-food-Survey-2015.pdf
 WHO ARE THE
How many mentioned they will eat/not
(not all mentioned details about the food) FUTURE SENIORS
IN NORDIC
Vegetarian food 7/0
only: - COUNTRIES
mostly: 5
among others: 2 We are the future seniors
in Nordic Countries.
Meat 4/1
only: -
mostly: - I interviewed future seniors who are now
among others: 4 (NOT 1) between 30-60 (average age 49). I got 11
replies, 10 females/1 male.
Fish 5/0
only: - Most of them described their eating habits
mostly: 3 to be healthy, mostly vegetarian both now
among others: 2 and in future. The replies are in line with
the customer survey done for EY (previous
Waste food, bugs 3/1 pages). So, it seems that people keep their
eating habits - or cannot think the future so
only: -
mostly: 1 far away. Couple of them mentioned, that they
among others: 2 (NOT 1) dont want to think about being old.

Im combining the replies with the data and

Healthy food 4/0 ideas to creating personas and stories.
only: 1
mostly: 2
among others: 1

Tasty food 4/0

only: 1
mostly: 1
among others: 2
https://space10.io/journal/tomorrows-meatball-what-we-all-could-be-eating-20-years-from-now/
Values:
easyness, price
Reason to stay home:
Rheumatic hands
- afraid that cant hold the key,
lock/unlock door
- package opening problem
Solutions:
- easy access food with affordable price
- ordering food and services from web
- personal cooker
It is Wednesday afternoon. Maija knows it,
because its Yusuf who cooks in her kitchen.
She is sitting around the table, enjoying
the lovely aromas and chatting with Yusuf.
They talk about the daily topics and cultural
differences. Thanks to the Google Pixel Puds
(12), which translates their communication,
and public transfers, which makes the service
very affordable for seniors to use.
This Come&Cook Immigrant service is very
important to Maija: once a week she gets warm,
tasty meal prepared in her own home. She also
gets company to eat with - so at least then, she
remember to eat.
services 2030
Maija, 73y
selfmade
vegetarian
fish Teacher,
meat retired 9 years ago
other
healthy Something need to be eated
tasty once-and-while between the
easy
important things
money
There is nothing wrong with Maijas memory From inside, the door is easy to open that is
- food just has not been any important role to why, she favours home delivery. Waste food
her, actually it was her husband who used to service ResQ (6) is good value, because they
take care of their food arrangements, so Maija deliver food with robotics.
could focus on her numerous hobbies.
Usually Maija eats around the tablet, not table,
The only thing that restricts her life is but today it is special day. It is Wednesday.
rheumatism: her hands are clumsy. She can
still use keyboards for keeping connections and
ordering food and services, but she has started
to avoid using home key. She is afraid to go out,
because of clumsiness to lock/unlock the door.
https://space10.io/journal/tomorrows-meatball-what-we-all-could-be-eating-20-years-from-now/
Values:
ecological, raw ingredients, taste,
aesthetics, joy
Reason to stay home:
taking care of her husband who has
Alzheimer disease
Solutions:
- ordering food from web shops
- member of farming community
- growing plants with the husband
- cooking herself
Enja has already enjoyed her morning coffee,
when her husband comes to the kitchen. He
is wearing Enjas slippers, which makes her
smile. Ill serve you your favourite coffee,
please sit down by the table my darling she
says to a man, who hesitates for a while, then
sit down. It usually takes some moments for
him to remember that Enja is his wife, and he
is 85 years old boy. But when they are in the
garden work together, he acts like he used to be
and remember what to do. He had Alzheimer.
Some years ago, Enja bought IKEA Indoor
Gardening system (7), they also have small
outdoor garden, where they grow vegetables,
herbs and berries for getting nice, fresh
services
selfmade
vegetarian
fish
meat
other
healthy
tasty
easy
money
addition to the table. It is also for fun, putting
hands into soil and relaxing.
Enja loves food. She is willing to invest more
to the food than anything else. Most of the
ingredients she orders from the network
of farmers and food recycling services. Its
convenient, because she spend her days mostly
home, taking care of her husband.
Sometimes, when she got day-off, she walks
in traditional food market for enjoying the
colours and scents, chatting with sellers and
tasting new food innovations.
2040
Enja, 75y
Consultant
working volunteer
We are what we eat. I love
food, thats the most important
thing, right after my dear
husband
Because of the stomach pain, Enja avoid crops
(except oats), sugar and yeast. She never eat
meat - but fish and bugs are ok. So the policy of
reducing meat consumption is more than ok for
her.
Especially algae (13) products fascinate her,
and she has been looking for the equipment for
gardening also algae in home.
Some of her friends have Whole Foods Fridge
by Amazon (8), but Enja dont want it yet, she
want to make her own decisions what kind of
food will be served around their table.
https://space10.io/journal/tomorrows-meatball-what-we-all-could-be-eating-20-years-from-now/
Values:
convenience, variaty to choice, not
owning, but paying by the usage
Reason to stay home:
early phases of Demetia
Solutions:
- living in pre-senior rooms connected
to shopping mall
- eating in shopping mall restaurants
- robot delivery to the rooms
Let it grow, let it grow, let it blossom, let it
flow...oh it is twelve oclock, my turn has ended
Kipa likes the gardening area of the building:
the scent of the green leaves and the humidity
feels good. Plants remind the circle of life: from
seeds to blossoms - and back to the grounds.
By participating indoor gardening (7, 13), she
just collected discount points for daily meal,
which she is going to enjoy downstairs: there
is a wide selection of restaurants and food
services.
Kipa sit down to be served at her favourite
place. Soon she get company to the table:
familiar face and familiar talks - the name
services
selfmade
vegetarian
fish
meat
other
healthy
tasty
easy
money
she just cant recall. But it doesnt matter, the
feeling is mutual. Both of them are in the early
phases of Dementia.
That is why they have been living in this
concept building for some years now. It
combines shopping mall to the concept of
semi-served apartments. People moved in to
the compact & comfortable apartments around
their 60s, so they have preparation time to
familiarize themselves to the surroundings,
services and technology, before loosing their
short-term memory.
After the lunch, Kipa had friends visiting. They
admire her shiny Robot Fridge (9, 11). So far
2050
Kipa, 72y
Journalist
retired
I want to be prepared, retain
my independency and eat
what ever I desire, also in
future
she has been using it for preserving her snacks,
but in one day, she is going to open the door,
and let it go and collect. Fridge communicates
with elevators, go to the food suppliers to
pick Kipas regular food, which are labelled
with codes - and return back to Kipas room. It
alarms, when it is time to eat, but Kipa dont
use that function yet. So far she recognize the
feeling of hunger.
She dont want to hurry her dependence of
technology. Today is a bright day; table is
rounded with friends and food.
https://space10.io/journal/tomorrows-meatball-what-we-all-could-be-eating-20-years-from-now/
Values:
healthy, ethical food, sharing,
friendship
Reason to stay home:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease
Solutions:
- city villages
- urban farming
- partner helps
- food sharing community
Mika puts his hands into soil, watching the
green sprouts that he has planted- and take
deep breath of fresh sea-salted air. He feels
fulfilment. Happiness. Then he wakes up to the
sound of his partner preparing breakfast in
their communal kitchen.
He takes his time to get up. He has chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, so all the
movement must be done in slow pace - even
breathing salty sea air. As taking steps to
the kitchen, slowly, he suddenly got a funny
thought this is real slow life, downshifting
indeed. But it doesnt prevent me enjoy my
food!
services 2060
Mika, 70y
selfmade
vegetarian
fish Doctor/Designer
meat working volunteerly
other
healthy For me food is something
tasty to share. I appreciate the
easy resources of the nature, and
money
do as less harm as possible
They are living in Suomenlinna Urban Couple of the members of the community got
Village, where they crow their own food as a the hunting certificate, so in the hunting season
community. Sharing and collaboration between time, they bring the beef to the table, and get
members is the background idea behind Mikas knowledge in return service.
this urban farming experience. Even Mika
cant participate physically, he is appreciated Twice a week they participate food-sharing
member because his skills as doctor and dinners: in turns each member cooks and the
designer. rest can just enjoy around the table.
Mikas family eats mostly self-farmed
vegetables, eggs from the own chickens and
fish from the sea. It is easy to change and share
the other ingredients with the neighbours, and
approximately 20% of their food, they order
from commercial suppliers.
pressure for
SCENARIO OF
REDUCE MEAT CONSUMPTION
pressure for TIMELINE
REDUCE WASTE FOOD
pressure for
DEVELOP FOOD INGREDIENDTS
pressure for
DEVELOP FOOD SERVICES

service service
FOOD ROBOTIC
DELIVERY DELIVERY

service ingredient
POPULAR POPULAR PURE
WASTE FOOD NORDIC FOOD
ingredient ingredient
MINERALS ETC INDOOR
ALGAE GARDENING
ingredient ingredient ingredient service
PROTEIN ARTIFICIAL LUXURY FOOD
BUGS MEAT ORCANIC MEAT SHARING

2030 2040 2050 2060

FROM TABLET GARDENING BUFFET FOR URBAN
TO TABLE GENERATION PREPARED MINDS VILLAGERS

1_http://www.norden.org/en/om-samarbej-
det-1/formal-nordic-co-operation
2_http://www.footprintnetwork.org/
3_ http://www.un.org/en/development/
desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/
WPA2015_Report.pdf
4_ http://www.overshootday.org/take-action/
food/
5_ http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAs-
sets/EY_food_Survey_2015/$FILE/EY-food-
Survey-2015.pdf
REFERENCES
LINKS
6_https://medium.com/@ 11_http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/wolt-
GlobalStartupAwards/these-three-food- delivers-the-goods-with-robots/
tech-startups-are-battling-to-end-hunger-
fe2afcf90f7e 12_www.core77
7_ http://lokal.space10.io/ 13_ https://medium.com/space10-the-farm/
how-algae-could-help-solve-some-of-the-
8_https://www.psfk.com/2017/08/what-an- worlds-biggest-problems-1fa7774a16b1
amazon-and-whole-foods-future-might-look-
like.html
9_ https://www.psfk.com/category/design/
food
10_https://www.norden.org/en/theme/ny-
nordisk-mad/the-new-nordic-food-manifesto