Millennials Are Adding Fuel Additives Because Their Cars Are Old, Says NPD Survey

Millennials Are Adding Fuel Additives Because Their Cars Are Old, Says NPD Survey

While Millennials love smartphones and sneakers probably more than any other generation, we can also say the same about fuel additives.

This year, the Millennial generation is expected to surpass the Baby Boomers and become the largest living generation in the United States (Source: U.S. Census Bureau). With a projected population of 75.3 million and a reported $200 billion in annual purchasing power, it is necessary for retailers, manufacturers, and marketers to understand and pay close attention to the behaviors of this newer, diverse breed of consumers.

fuel-additive-useage-by-age-npdDavid-Portalatin-imageTechnology and fashion may be among the top industries that come to mind when considering Millennial consumption, but this generation is also leaving its tracks in the automotive aftermarket world. While they love smartphones and sneakers probably more than any other generation, we can also say the same about fuel additives. A recent study conducted by NPD found that 30 percent of younger Millennials (aged 18-24) said they would increase their usage of fuel additives, making them three times as likely as consumers aged 35-54 and six times as likely as those aged 55-plus to say this (Fuel Additives: Consumer Insights on the Uptreatment of Fuel, July 2015). Whether Millennials upgraded their fuel at the pump or treated it with a packaged additive, they are using more additives and are more concerned than any other generation about treating their fuel.

What is spurring this behavior? When asked why they would use more fuel additives, most Millennials cited “aging vehicles,” “problems with vehicles,” “a clean engine,” and “more educated about benefits” among their reasons. According to NPD’s Motor Fuels Index Database, Millennials are the most likely of any generation to drive older vehicles, as 36 percent report that their vehicle is at least 11 years old.

Understanding that Millennials are driving older cars and purchasing more fuel additives for a variety of reasons indicates that they are looking to increase their vehicle’s longevity and stretch their dollar. To attract Millennials, messaging around additives, cleaner engines, and increased vehicle longevity may help to capture this important group of consumers.

To read more from David Portalatin and The NPD Group Blog, click here.

You May Also Like

Counterman on Holiday

Counterman will send its regularly scheduled Thursday e-newsletter on Friday, Nov. 24.

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, Counterman will not be distributing its e-newsletter scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 23.

Instead, Counterman will send the e-newsletter on Friday, Nov. 24.

The staff of Counterman wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Right to Repair Triumphs in Maine Referendum

At press time, more than 80% of Maine voters had answered “yes” to Ballot Question 4.

CRP Marks 40 Years of Pentosin Fluids in North America

CRP Automotive will mark the anniversary with specialty signage and featured products at AAPEX in Las Vegas, slated for Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

House Subcommittee Examines Potential Impact of REPAIR Act

Subcommittee members and others expressed enthusiastic support for the legislation.

Right to Repair: NHTSA Open to Short-Range Wireless Protocol

If the proposal sees the light of day, it would limit the scope of the Massachusetts data-access law.

Other Posts

Lincoln Highway Leads to Vegas in ‘Road to AAPEX’ Season 2

This year, the spotlight shines on an ultra-rare 2002 Lincoln Blackwood as it embarks on a historic journey.

Trade Groups, OEMs Agree on Data Access for IRFs

MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers called the agreement “a step in the right direction” but asserted that the pact “falls short of all the protections necessary to ensure consumer choice now and into the future for all parties.”

NHTSA Better Have ‘Good Answers’ for RTR Rebuff

The Berkshire Eagle, which endorsed the data-access measure in 2020, is skeptical of NHTSA’s cybersecurity concerns.

Auto Care Weighing Response to NHTSA Right to Repair Letter

NHTSA asserted that the Massachusetts law “conflicts with and therefore is preempted by” federal law.