Austria has opened the first supermarket in the world to cater for elderly customers.

Facilities at Aktiv Markt, the supermarket chain in Austria and Germany, include blood-pressure tests, extra-loud announcements on special offers, and wider aisles for zimmer frames, reported The Times.

Statistics in the region suggest that by 2050, pensioners with the ‘grey euro’ will make up half the population. And that the number of under-20s will drop from 17 million to 12 million.

Food inspector Horst Hanzan said that the new Aktiv Markt, supermarket was a response to customer demand. He noted that the store was not exclusively for the older shopper, but added that the staff were all aged between 50 and 60.

Hanzan said: "Older people tend to be more patient and try to personalise the shopping experience more than younger workers, who just want to get people out of the store as soon as possible."